Generality
Guaifenesin is an active ingredient with an expectorant action, widely used in the treatment of productive cough or oily cough.
Also known as glyceryl guaiacolate, guaifenesin is able to fluidify, therefore facilitating the expulsion of the excess mucus ( phlegm ) produced in the course of diseases - both acute and chronic - of the respiratory system.
Guaifenesin - which from the chemical point of view is a guaiacol ether - is available in pharmaceutical formulations suitable for oral administration (syrup, oral solution, tablets to be dissolved in the mouth). The active ingredient can be found in medicines either alone or in combination with active ingredients with a sedative cough action (generally, dextromethorphan); products of this type are useful if the patient presents both fat and dry cough.
Examples of Specialties Medicinal products containing Guaifenesina
- Actigrip Mucolitic® Cough
- Sedative and fluidifying Bronchenol®
- Vicks Tosse Fluidifier®
Curiosity
Guaifenesin is also used in the veterinary field by parenteral route. However, in this context it is not used as a central action muscle relaxant.
Therapeutic indications
When is the use of Guaifenesina indicated?
The use of guaifenesin is indicated to thin the phlegm in order to facilitate its elimination in the course of diseases of the respiratory tract, both acute and chronic.
The use of this active ingredient is useful in the symptomatic treatment of fat cough .
Warnings
Warnings and precautions for the use of Guaifenesin
Before taking any guaifenesin medicine, you must tell your doctor if:
- One is suffering from a persistent cough whose cause could lie in asthma;
- Fat cough is very productive;
- The cough has been present for more than seven days and is accompanied by symptoms such as:
- Temperature;
- Persistent headache;
- Skin eruptions.
- You are suffering from diseases or disorders of the liver and / or kidneys;
- Alcohol is used.
Also, remember that taking guaifenesin may interfere with the results of laboratory urine tests .
Please note
The use of guaifenesin-containing medicinal products containing ethyl alcohol can result in positive anti-doping tests in relation to the limits imposed by alcohol concentration.
Pharmacological Interactions
Guaifenesin interactions with other drugs
No particular pharmacological interactions of guaifenesin with other active ingredients are known.
However - with the exception of the medicinal products containing guaifenesin and antitussives such as dextromethorphan - the active expectorant principle mentioned above must never be taken in combination with cough suppressants .
However, before taking guaifenesin, it is advisable to inform your doctor if you are taking - or have recently been taken - medicines of any kind, including over-the-counter drugs (OTC), medicines without a prescription (SOP) ), natural products and herbal products.
Interactions with Foods and Beverages
During guaifenesin therapy, it is necessary to avoid alcoholic beverages.
Side effects
Side Effects Caused by the Assumption of Guaifenesin
Like any other drug, guaifenesin can also cause side effects, although not every patient gets them, or gets them in the same way. In fact, each individual reacts differently to the administration of the active ingredient.
Gastrointestinal disorders
The main side effects caused by guaifenesin are gastrointestinal and include:
- Nausea;
- He retched;
- Diarrhea;
- Localized pain in the upper part of the abdomen.
Allergic reactions
Guaifenesin may cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. These reactions can occur with:
- Skin reactions;
- Itch;
- redness;
- Urticaria;
- rashes;
- Gastrointestinal disorders.
Overdose
Accidental overdose of guaifenesin can cause the appearance of several symptoms whose severity varies depending on the amount of drug ingested:
- A mild overdose can cause gastrointestinal upset, dizziness and mental confusion.
- A severe overdose can give rise to a more severe symptomatology consisting of:
- Confusion;
- Excitement;
- Nausea and / or vomiting;
- Respiratory depression.
Furthermore, the intake of excessive amounts of guaifenesin-based medicines for long periods of time can lead to the appearance of kidney stones which is manifested by symptoms such as nausea, abdominal pain and alteration of normal urine characteristics.
Treatment of guaifenesin overdose is symptomatic and involves performing gastric lavage if necessary .
Therefore, in case of suspected intake of excessive doses of guaifenesin, it is necessary to contact the doctor immediately and / or contact the nearest emergency room.
Action mechanism
How does Guaifenesina work?
As mentioned, guaifenesin is able to exert a fluidifying action on the phlegm, thereby facilitating expectoration.
This effect seems to be attributable to the ability of the active principle to increase fluid secretions by the secreting glands present in the respiratory tract. This causes the phlegm to become less viscous, facilitating the task of the ciliary epithelium which pushes the sputum towards the upper airway. In this way, the cough stimulus is indirectly increased which contributes, therefore, to the elimination of the phlegm.
Method of use and Posology
How to take Guaifenesina
Dosage and method of intake of guaifenesin vary according to the pharmaceutical form to be used and according to the concentration of the active ingredient contained.
Syrup and Oral Solution
When guaifenesin is taken in the form of syrup or oral solution, the doses usually recommended are as follows:
- Adults and children over the age of 12: 200 mg of guaifenesine four times a day orally.
Whether or not to use guaifenesin in children under the age of 12 basically depends on the medicinal product that you intend to use and, of course, from the doctor's opinion. Therefore, it is advisable to ask for the advice of this health care professional and to consult the package insert of the medicinal product containing guaifenesin that is to be used.
Mouth Loose Tablets
The tablets to be dissolved in the mouth based on guaifenesin contain lower concentrations of active ingredient (about 50-55 mg per tablet) than syrup and oral solution, therefore, they can also be used in children under 12 years of age. The recommended doses are the following:
- Adults and children over the age of 12: three to six tablets a day, to be dissolved slowly in the mouth.
- Children between the ages of 6 and 12: two to three tablets a day.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Can Guaifenesin be taken during pregnancy and during breastfeeding?
Guaifenesin should not be used during pregnancy and lactation, unless your doctor considers it absolutely necessary. Therefore, although most of the specialty medicines based on guaifenesin are freely available without a prescription, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers should not use them without first asking for their doctor's advice.
On the other hand, for this category of patients, the consultation of the doctor and / or gynecologist is always required before any drug or product is taken.
Contraindications
When Guaifenesin should not be used
The use of guaifenesin is contraindicated in case of known allergy to the same active ingredient or to any of the excipients contained in the medicinal product to be used.
