Expectorants are drugs that increase respiratory mucus secretion and help loosen and remove sputum from the respiratory tract.
Purpose:
- Used to treat productive (wet) cough by facilitating mucus clearance.
Expectorants
- Function: Loosen and thin mucus, making it easier to expel
- Use: For productive (wet) coughs
- Mechanism: Increase secretions and reduce mucus viscosity
- Examples: Guaifenesin
Types of Expectorants
-
Mucolytics
- Examples: N-acetylcysteine, Bromhexine, Ambroxol
- Mechanism:
- N-acetylcysteine: Breaks disulfide bonds in mucoproteins → reduces viscosity of mucus
- Bromhexine/Ambroxol: Enhance production of serous mucus → thinner and less sticky
- Use:
- Chronic bronchitis, COPD, cystic fibrosis
- Sometimes used via nebulization
-
Protussives (Secretolytics)
- Examples: Guaifenesin (Glyceryl guaiacolate)
- Mechanism: Increases volume and reduces viscosity of bronchial secretions → easier to expel by coughing
- Use: Commonly used in OTC syrups for productive cough
