Ambroxol Hydrochloride
About
Ambroxol Hydrochloride belongs to a class of drugs called 'mucolytic agents' (cough/sputum thinner) primarily used to treat acute (short term) and chronic (long term) respiratory diseases associated with excess mucus. Ambroxol Hydrochloride is used in the conditions of acute and recurrent bronchitis (airways infection), laryngitis (voice box infection), tracheitis (windpipe infection) and chronic diseases like chronic bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Ambroxol Hydrochloride contains Ambroxol hydrochloride that works by thinning and loosening phlegm (mucus) in lungs, windpipe and nose. Ambroxol Hydrochloride breaks down the acid mucopolysaccharide fibres and makes the mucous (sputum) thinner and less dense/viscous, removing sputum efficiently by coughing. However, the viscosity of sputum remains low for as long as treatment is maintained.
Take Ambroxol Hydrochloride as prescribed. Your doctor will recommend how often you need to take Ambroxol Hydrochloride based on your medical condition. Some people may experience side effects such as nausea, taste change, numbness in the mouth, tongue and throat. Most of these side effects of Ambroxol Hydrochloride do not require medical attention and gradually resolve over time. However, if the side effects persist or worsen, please consult your doctor.
If you are known to be allergic to Ambroxol Hydrochloride or any other medicines, please tell your doctor. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, it is advised to inform your doctor before using Ambroxol Hydrochloride. If you have kidney or liver problems, stomach ulcers, asthma or cough for a long time, please inform your doctor before taking Ambroxol Hydrochloride. In children below 6 years, the liquid form is preferred as tablets are contraindicated.
Uses of Ambroxol Hydrochloride
Medicinal Benefits
Ambroxol Hydrochloride is a mucolytic agent (mucus thinner) that is used to treat acute (short term) and chronic (long term) respiratory diseases associated with excess mucus. Ambroxol Hydrochloride helps in making sputum less viscous so that it can be coughed out easily in the conditions of acute and recurrent bronchitis (airways infection), laryngitis (voice box infection), tracheitis (windpipe infection) and chronic diseases like chronic bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Ambroxol Hydrochloride helps in thinning and loosening phlegm (mucus) in the lungs, windpipe and nose to cough out easily and provides relief from symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, tightness in the chest and shortness of breath.
Directions for Use
Storage
Side Effects of Ambroxol Hydrochloride
- Nausea
- Taste change
- Numbness in mouth, tongue and throat
In-Depth Precautions and Warning
Drug Warnings
Talk to your doctor before taking Ambroxol Hydrochloride if you have had a cough for a long time, asthma or suffer from serious asthma attacks, liver or kidney problems, or peptic or duodenal ulcers. There have been reports of severe skin allergic reactions with Ambroxol Hydrochloride, so if you develop a skin rash, immediately stop using Ambroxol Hydrochloride and contact your doctor immediately. Avoid taking Ambroxol Hydrochloride if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Drug Interactions
Drug-Drug Interactions: Ambroxol Hydrochloride may have interaction with antibiotics (amoxicillin, cefuroxime, and erythromycin) and a cough suppressant (codeine).
Drug-Food Interactions: Ambroxol Hydrochloride interaction with food is unknown. Please consult a doctor to know which foods are to be avoided while taking Ambroxol Hydrochloride.
Drug-Disease Interactions: Use Ambroxol Hydrochloride with caution in patients with cough for a long time, stomach ulcer, kidney or liver problems and asthma.
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
cautionInteraction of alcohol with Ambroxol Hydrochloride is unknown. Please consult a doctor before consuming alcohol with Ambroxol Hydrochloride.
Pregnancy
unsafeAmbroxol Hydrochloride is a Category C pregnancy drug and is not recommended for pregnant women especially in the first 3 months as it may cause harm to the unborn baby.
Breast Feeding
unsafeAvoid breastfeeding while taking Ambroxol Hydrochloride as it may be excreted in breast milk and cause adverse effects in the baby.
Driving
safe if prescribedAmbroxol Hydrochloride usually does not affect your ability to drive or operate machinery.
Liver
cautionTake Ambroxol Hydrochloride with caution, especially if you have a history of Liver diseases/conditions. The dose may be adjusted by your doctor as required.
Kidney
cautionTake Ambroxol Hydrochloride with caution, especially if you have a history of Kidney diseases/conditions. The dose may be adjusted by your doctor as required.
Children
cautionAmbroxol hydrochloride as a tablet is not recommended for children below 6 years of age. Ambroxol hydrochloride in oral solution form can be given to children below 6 years in doses prescribed by a doctor.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- Avoid dairy products such as milk as it may increase mucus production. Also, avoid processed or refined foods. Instead replace baked foods, fried foods, white bread, white pasta, French fries, sugary desserts and chips with green leafy vegetables.
- Drink plenty of fluids to avoid dry throat while you have a cough.
- Avoid citrus fruits as they may worsen the cough.
- Eat fruits that are rich in water content such as pears, watermelon, peaches and pineapples.
Special Advise
- If you are allergic to some sugars, please inform your doctor as Ambroxol Hydrochloride may contain sorbitol.
- You are recommended not to take Ambroxol Hydrochloride for more than 10 days without your doctor’s advice.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
Cough: Coughing is a body’s way of clearing irritants (like allergens, mucus or smoke) from airways and preventing infection. Coughs may be dry or productive. A productive cough (wet cough) brings up sputum (phlegm, mucus and other matter) from the lungs. Dry cough does not produce sputum. Cough is commonly caused as a response to allergy or viral infection but coughing up mucus is possibly an infection in the respiratory tract.
FAQs
Ambroxol Hydrochloride breaks down the acid mucopolysaccharide fibres and makes the mucous (sputum) thinner and less dense/viscous, removing sputum efficiently by coughing.
You are recommended to take Ambroxol Hydrochloride for as long as your doctor has prescribed it. However, if the symptoms worsen or persist after 5 days (3 days in children) of using Ambroxol Hydrochloride, please consult your doctor.
Ambroxol Hydrochloride may cause skin reactions in some people. It is not necessary for everyone taking Ambroxol Hydrochloride to have skin reactions. However, if you notice a skin rash including lesions of the nose, throat, mouth, genitals or eyes, stop taking Ambroxol Hydrochloride and consult a doctor immediately.
Taking Ambroxol Hydrochloride with antibiotics such as erythromycin, amoxicillin, doxycycline and cefuroxime may increase the concentration of antibiotics in the formed mucus in the airways. Therefore, you are recommended to consult a doctor before using Ambroxol Hydrochloride with antibiotics or any other medicines.
You are not recommended to stop taking Ambroxol Hydrochloride without consulting your doctor as it may worsen cough or cause recurring symptoms. Therefore, take Ambroxol Hydrochloride for as long as your doctor has prescribed it and if you experience any difficulty while taking Ambroxol Hydrochloride, please consult your doctor.
