Demulcent

Agent forming a soothing film over irritated mucous membranes

A demulcent cough drop

A demulcent (derived from the Latin: demulcere "caress") is a mucilaginous or oleaginous preparation[1] that forms a soothing protective film over a mucous membrane, relieving minor pain and inflammation of the membrane.[2] However, they generally help for less than 30 minutes.[3]

Demulcents are sometimes referred to as mucoprotective agents. Demulcents such as pectin, glycerin, honey, and syrup are common ingredients in cough mixtures and cough drops.[4]

## Examples

[edit]

Natural demulcents include slippery elm, pectin, licorice-root and marsh-mallow.

Synthetic demulcents include methylcellulose, propylene glycol, and glycerin.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Definition of DEMULCENT". www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 2022-02-19.
2. ^ Mandel, I. D. (1987). "The Functions of Saliva". Journal of Dental Research. 66 (2 suppl): 623–627\. doi:10.1177/00220345870660S203. ISSN 0022-0345. PMID 3497964. S2CID 23498530.
3. ^ Frye, R; Bailey, J; Blevins, AE (May 2011). "Clinical inquiries. Which treatments provide the most relief for pharyngitis pain?". The Journal of Family Practice. 60 (5): 293–4\. PMID 21544279.
4. ^ Boyd, Eldon M. (1952). "Cough medication and antihistaminic drugs". Can Med Assoc J. 67 (4): 289–92\. PMC 1822606. PMID 13009543.

## Further reading

[edit]

Tripathi, K. D. (31 October 2018). Essentials of Medical Pharmacology, 8th Edition. Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers. ISBN 978-93-5270-499-6. OCLC 1050280101.

## External links

[edit]

Look up demulcent in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

* Media related to Demulcents at Wikimedia Commons

This pharmacology-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

|

* v
* t
* e

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template