Evidence supporting the use of: Syrup (unspecified)
For the health condition: Cough (spastic)

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Synopsis

Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 2

Syrups have been traditionally used as a remedy for cough, including spastic (or spasmodic) cough, primarily due to their soothing properties and ability to deliver medicinal ingredients in a palatable form. The use of syrups as a vehicle dates back centuries; honey- or sugar-based syrups were commonly employed to ease throat irritation and suppress cough reflexes by coating the mucosa. In many traditional systems of medicine, such as Ayurveda and Western herbalism, syrups containing extracts of herbs (e.g., licorice, thyme, or ivy) were believed to help relieve spasmodic coughs.

However, when considering "syrup" as an unspecified or generic ingredient, rather than a specific medicated syrup, scientific evidence is limited. The demulcent (soothing) action of the syrup base itself (e.g., sugar or honey) can modestly reduce throat irritation and cough frequency, particularly in children, according to some modern studies. Still, this effect is not strong, and most clinical guidelines do not recommend simple syrups as a primary treatment for cough, except perhaps honey for children over one year old. Overall, the justification for using unspecified syrup for spastic cough rests more on tradition and its mild soothing effect, rather than robust scientific evidence.

More about Syrup (unspecified)
More about Cough (spastic)

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