Mucaltin tablets are an effective medicine, the pharmacological purpose of which is to relieve the inflammatory process in the lung tissue and bronchial tree, liquefy too thick and viscous sputum, as well as enhance the motility of the bronchial tree in order to speed up the outflow of pathogenic mucus. This drug is prescribed for children and adults of various age categories. The excellent therapeutic effect of Mucaltin is achieved due to the presence in its composition of the active substance sodium bicarbonate, which literally eats away sputum, giving it a more liquid consistency.
Composition and beneficial properties of the drug
The main component of the drug Mucaltin is an extract of the medicinal plant marshmallow. It contains polysaccharides that promote liquefaction and better discharge of sputum. In addition, the composition contains excipients necessary for better absorption of the medicine:
- aspartame;
- wine acid;
- calcium stearate;
- magnesium carbonate;
- sodium bicarbonate.
Mucaltin is available in the following dosage forms:
- pills;
- chewable lozenges Mukaltin Forte;
- marshmallow syrup - the composition is similar to Mucaltin tablets. The advantage of this form of the drug is that it is approved for use in children from 12 months.
Substances contained in marshmallow extract enhance the production of secretions from the bronchial glands. After taking the drug, the viscosity of sputum decreases and the ciliated epithelium of the bronchi is activated. As a result, coughing up mucus accumulated in the respiratory tract improves, and a dry cough becomes moist.
Important! Taking cough tablets Mucaltin helps reduce congestion in the bronchi. The conditions in which pathogenic microbes can actively multiply disappear, which also leads to a decrease in the severity of inflammation.
For what type of cough is it used?
Before deciding which cough to take Mucaltin for, you should remember what types of this symptom exist and how they differ. Depending on the presence of sputum, the following types of this reflex are distinguished:
- dry (unproductive) when there is no coughing up a large amount of mucus. This symptom is more often observed in the early stages of inflammatory diseases of the respiratory tract;
- wet (productive) – this type of cough is characterized by the release of a large amount of sputum. Usually after coughing the patient feels better.
Separately, a weakly productive cough is distinguished when a small amount of sputum is produced. The mucus is viscous and difficult to cough up.
Doctors recommend taking Mucaltin for a dry cough and in the presence of difficult to separate sputum. In these cases, after several doses, there will be an increase in the cough reflex and an improvement in the removal of mucus accumulated in the respiratory tract.
For productive cough, the use of drugs from the mucolytic group is not advisable. However, many experts do not ask what kind of cough Mucaltin helps with, considering it a universal remedy.
What kind of cough do Mucaltin tablets help with?
The medication is designed to help with productive cough, when it is necessary to clear the airways of mucus as quickly as possible to prevent its stagnation. For a dry cough, you should choose other drugs - mainly those that block the cough center.
Mucaltin cough tablets are prescribed for the following pathologies:
- obstructive bronchitis;
- tracheobronchitis;
- pneumonia;
- tracheitis.
It is also allowed to use the herbal medicine for any viral infections accompanied by a cough with difficult to separate sputum.
When is Mucaltin prescribed?
Instructions for use of the medicine include the following diseases that are accompanied by a dry cough:
- bronchitis - acute, chronic, obstructive;
- tracheitis, tracheobronchitis;
- inflammatory pathologies of the upper respiratory tract – pharyngitis, laryngitis;
- pneumonia;
- emphysema;
- bronchial asthma;
- pulmonary tuberculosis.
It is worth noting that the use of Mucaltin and other cough tablets from the group of mucolytics and expectorants does not lead to relief from this symptom. On the contrary, at first there is an increase in coughing, relief usually occurs only 2-3 days after the start of treatment.
Treatment of inflammatory diseases of the respiratory system should be comprehensive. Therefore, in addition to Mucaltin, the doctor will prescribe other medications that are aimed at combating the cause of the disease and help improve the patient’s general condition. The main place in therapy is occupied by antibacterial drugs, without the use of which it is often impossible to achieve a permanent cure.
Mucaltin for children: instructions for use
Mucaltin for children is prescribed quite often. It will be recommended for colds/viral pathologies that are accompanied by a severe dry/wet cough.
The drug can be recommended for use in diagnosing:
- pneumonia,
- tracheobronchitis,
- emphysema,
- tracheitis,
- bronchial diseases.
The product shows an excellent therapeutic effect if it needs to provide an anti-inflammatory and expectorant effect. While taking it, the mucus accumulated in the lumens of the bronchi softens. It is eliminated naturally during a productive cough.
Taking the drug can be combined with therapeutic inhalations.
The dosage in childhood will be as follows:
- Children 1…3 years old. The dosage is selected by the attending physician, but most often it is ½ part of the tablet. You need to take a dose of the medicine 1 hour before meals three times a day - before breakfast/lunch/dinner.
- Children 3...12 years old. Dosage – 1 tablet per dose. You need to take the drug according to the standard regimen.
- Children over 12 years old. Dosage – 2 tablets three times a day before meals.
The prescribed dosage should be taken 1 hour before meals . The minimum time period separating the intake of Mucaltin from food is 30 minutes. In the evening, the child should receive the drug at least 2 hours before bedtime .
The tablet can be sucked or dissolved in any drink. It is best to use ½ cup of warm water. The duration of therapy is no more than two weeks.
During treatment with Mucaltin, side effects develop in relatively rare cases. Contraindications to the prescription of tablets are:
- the first year of a child's life,
- hypersensitivity to the components of the product,
- diagnosed lesion of the stomach and/or duodenal ulcer.
How to use correctly
All patients are recommended to take the medicine 30-60 minutes before meals. A single dose for adults is 50-100 mg, which is equal to one or two tablets of the drug. Frequency of use – 3-4 times a day.
Mucaltin for coughs is recommended for children over 12 years of age to take in the same amount as for adult patients. A child over three years old is recommended to take one tablet three times a day. In some cases, for example, with a slight cough, the dosage is halved. The same amount of the drug is indicated for children under three years of age.
There are no special instructions on how to drink Mucaltin when coughing for adults and children. The tablet should be placed under the tongue and wait until it dissolves. Children may refuse to take the tablet form of the drug. Therefore, the tablet can be crushed and the resulting powder dissolved in 150 ml of warm water or juice.
The duration of treatment is determined by the severity of the disease and the effect of using the medicine. On average, taking Mucaltin lasts for a week, but sometimes this period reaches 14 days. In rare cases, when treating severe infectious diseases of the lungs and respiratory tract, the doctor extends treatment to two months.
Important! Before using the medicine, it is recommended to read the instructions for use. If you take pills not according to indications, the treatment will not be effective, and adverse reactions may develop.
Mucaltin, method of use, for what cough
Mucaltin, method of application, for what cough can it be used? The remedy is indicated for dry/wet cough to enhance the productivity of the former.
The drug must be taken according to the manufacturer's instructions :
- in childhood - three times a day,
- category of adult patients - up to 4 times a day according to the dosage selected by the physician.
The recommended dosage is as follows:
- Children under 3 years of age – half a tablet, which must be crushed and diluted in a sweet drink (take 50 ml). This will help remove the specific taste of the drug.
- Children aged 3...7 years – 1 full tablet
- Children from 7 years of age and adult patients take 2 tablets per dose. They can be dissolved in water (100 ml) or dissolved.
According to the instructions supplied by the manufacturer, the pills must either be dissolved or pre-dissolved in any liquid. Duration of treatment – 1 week . With the permission of the attending physician, this period can be increased.
During the development of gestation, treatment with Mucaltin is allowed only on the recommendation of a doctor. This is especially true in the first and last trimester. This is explained by the presence of marshmallow herb in the tablets, which has the ability to increase the tone of the uterus. And this may be the cause of miscarriage/premature labor.
Possible side effects
Since Mucaltin is a natural drug, most patients easily tolerate its use. In rare cases, the development of undesirable effects is noted. They usually occur due to improper use, off-label use or contraindications. More often they are manifested by the following phenomena:
- indigestion in the form of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal discomfort;
- allergic reactions - skin itching, urticaria, swelling.
For adult patients, side effects are not dangerous and disappear some time after discontinuation of the drug. If undesirable reactions are observed in a child, this should be reported to the attending physician and treatment should be stopped to prevent the development of complications.
As for drug overdose, there is no data on such cases. However, it is impossible to exceed the recommended dose and duration of treatment without the instructions of the attending physician. This can trigger the development of severe allergies and lead to side effects.
For whom is it contraindicated?
Mucaltin can be used to treat cough in most patient groups. However, in some cases the medicine is contraindicated. You should not drink it in the following cases:
- with exacerbation of gastritis, gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer;
- if there is intolerance to the components of the drug;
- if the development of an allergic reaction to marshmallow extract was previously noted.
Pregnant women should take the drug with caution. Mucaltin can cause the development of an allergic reaction, which in the early stages of pregnancy is dangerous for the fetus. For this reason, many experts recommend not taking an expectorant in the first trimester, despite the fact that the instructions for use do not indicate childbearing as a contraindication.
In addition, marshmallow extract is believed to help improve uterine tone and may also have a negative effect on fetal health. Since Mucaltin is contraindicated in children under 12 months, the medicine cannot be used during lactation. If the doctor nevertheless prescribed the drug to a pregnant woman, it should be taken in dissolved form.
Mucaltin should also not be used together with antitussives that contain codeine. Such medications act on the cough center, suppressing coughing. Taking them together with mucolytics will lead to stagnation of mucus in the respiratory tract, as a result of which the patient will experience a lack of air. In severe cases, suffocation may develop, and there is a high probability of developing a secondary infection due to stagnation of mucus.
Important! Despite the fact that Mucaltin is a fairly old medicine, there is no exact data on the safety of its use in children. Therefore, before starting treatment for your child, it is recommended to consult a doctor.
How to take Mucaltin correctly
Mucaltin, used for dry or wet coughs, which often occurs against the background of acute respiratory infections of the throat and nose, can be combined simultaneously with other antitussives.
But, although at this time there has been no information about negative reactions from interactions with other drugs, it is not allowed to be prescribed together with drugs that inhibit the cough reflex, especially narcotics (for example, codeine, an opium alkaloid, as a centrally acting drug, is used only with full absence of sputum).
Mucaltin's analogs
This remedy has many analogues that have similar therapeutic effects. As an alternative to tablets, you can use marshmallow syrup, which was mentioned earlier. If the patient is intolerant to the components of this drug, you can take medications such as:
- Pertussin syrup;
- Pectusin tablets;
- Gerbion syrup;
- syrup or dragee Doctor MOM;
- Bronchosan solution and others.
The medications listed above are also based on natural ingredients and have the same therapeutic activity. Using them according to recommendations helps to liquefy and remove sputum. To prevent the development of side effects, they should not be taken together; it is not recommended to change the drug too often, since the effect does not occur immediately.
The natural remedy Mucaltin, when used correctly, will help to achieve rapid improvement in respiratory diseases. Before starting treatment, you should consult a doctor and undergo the necessary diagnostic procedures.
