The role of herbal medicines in treating cough in children

Abstract

The physiological role of cough is to restore mucociliary clearance in the respiratory tract. However, if there are inflammatory changes against the background of a respiratory infection, cough may be non-productive and impair the patient’s quality of life. For a rational choice of drug, the true cause of cough should be determined on the basis of history, physical examination and, if necessary, additional instrumental/laboratory investigations. Modern phytopharmaceuticals are considered effective and safe for cough relief. Herbal medicines contain biologically active substances, which are incorporated into the metabolic processes of the body in a more natural way, in contrast to synthetic analogues. The article focuses on the effectiveness of an ivy leaf extract, which has a complex composition: it contains saponins, flavonoids, glycosides, as well as components of essential oils. Due to its composition, it has several effects: expectorant due to its secretolytic and mucolytic action, and antispasmodic based on the increased sensitivity of β2-adrenoreceptor cells of bronchial smooth muscle cells to endogenous and exogenous stimulation, on reducing intracellular calcium levels and bronchial relaxation. The efficacy of ivy leaf extract has been shown in a total of more than 20 clinical trials, mainly in children suffering from upper respiratory tract infections. Cough treatment aims at changing the rheological properties of the secretion and increasing the effectiveness of the cough. The good compatibility of herbal medicines with other drugs, including antibiotics, allows their use not only as monotherapeutic agents, but also in combination therapy for the treatment of cough in children.