Speaking of “a cheap anti-cough medicine”, many people’s first thought may be compound licorice tablets, which are cost-effective and effective in relieving cough. In the past, it was a regular medicine for many families.

However, the beauty of compound licorice tablets did not last long. With the passage of time, it gradually disappeared from the market and is basically unavailable in pharmacies. Why?

It turns out thatit was classified as a prescription drug back in 2005 , so you cannot buy it yourself.

And 2014 was the critical period when compound licorice tablets “falled from the altar”. Some media reported that a Chinese was detained for carrying compound licorice tablets to the United States, and was also arrested. Banned from entry for 5 years on the grounds thatit contains prohibited ingredients that are not approved for use by the FDA.

As soon as the report came out, it immediately caused panic and heated discussion among the public.

Why are more and more doctors not recommending compound licorice tablets, which are cheap and have strong therapeutic effects? Can compound licorice tablets still be eaten? Today, Xiaojiu will tell everyone about it.

1. A man is “addicted” and eats 500 licorice tablets a day

< p>Generally speaking, we take licorice tablets when we have a cough, and take them according to the course of treatment, which has little effect on the body. But there was a man who became “addicted” to licorice tablets. He ate 200,000 licorice tablets in 5 years and almost burst his blood vessels!

30-year-old Akang (pseudonym) is a young man working in Guangzhou. About 5 years ago, he bought compound licorice tablets because of a cold. Knowing that once you eat it, you “can’t stop”. As long as the drug is stopped, Akang will have diarrhea, so Akang has to continue to take the medicine, and the dose must be increased to be effective .

And after a period of time, Akang also found that as long as the dosage is increased, eat 20-30 tablets at a time, and the whole A person is like a “celestial being”, and the pressure will be swept away.

Source: Guangzhou Radio and Television

So because of life The tired Akang was out of control. At the worst time, Akang could eat 500 compound licorice tablets a day. And after 5 years, Akang spent as much as 200,000 yuan on compound licorice tablets.

The “pleasure” that can be brought to Akang by taking medicine is just an illusion, and his body has long been overwhelmed by taking too much medicine for a long time.

Hypertension, potassium deficiency and other problems plagued him. He was unable to move, his appetite decreased significantly, and his weight dropped by about 20 pounds, which seriously affected Akang’s daily life and work.

A Kang realized that if he continued like this, he would be completely “abandoned”, so he chose to go to the hospital for help.

It can be seen that the harm of licorice tablets may be much greater than everyone thinks.

Second, “Licorice Tablets” are cheap, but the harm cannot be underestimated

Licorice tablets are “good quality and cheap”, many people recover quickly after taking some licorice tablets after coughing symptoms, but in fact, many doctors do not recommend patients to use licorice tablets to relieve cough.

Because licorice tablets are mainly composed of licorice extract, camphor, star anise, fennel, opium powder, sodium benzoate and other ingredients, according to the “Chinese Pharmacopoeia” record, each piece of licorice The tablet contains 112.5mg of licorice extract powder, 2mg of camphor, 2mg of star anise oil, 2mg of sodium benzoate, and 4mg of opioid powder.

The opioid powder is often referred to as opium, it can quickly invade the central nervous system of the brain, stimulate the release of dopamine, and make people feel happy,< strong>Long-term use can cause dependence and addiction.

If the drug is stopped,people will experience cold sweats, runny nose, restlessness, etc. . Like Akang who can’t stop eating licorice tablets, that’s the case.

Long-term use of compound licorice tablets, besides the risk of addiction, these two Harm can’t be ignored either:

• hypokalemia

Compound Licorice Tablets contain glycyrrhizic acid, which has the effect of expelling potassium and retaining sodium. After entering the human body, it can be converted into glycyrrhetic acid, thereby inhibiting the activity of 11-βHSD2 and increasing the level of cortisol in the body. When the value exceeds 100 times the aldosterone level, hypokalemia can be induced, and asthenia, anorexia, nausea, abdominal distension, dyspnea, arrhythmia and other symptoms.

• Affects breathing

Long-term use of this medicine may also Suppress the central nervous system, respiratory center is most affected, and severe respiratory depression may be caused, which can be life-threatening if there is no timely intervention.

It can be seen that improper use of compound licorice tablets will bring about a lot of health risks.So if you experience fatigue, anxiety, etc. after taking the medicine Symptoms, stop the drug in time and seek medical attention as soon as possible to avoid harm to health.

3. How to take “cough medicine” to be safe?

Compound licorice tablets are still in clinical use due to their strong antitussive effect, but not everyone can take them, and there are precautions when taking them. Before taking the medicine, you must understand it clearly, in order to avoid harming the body due to the wrong medicine.

1. Dosage

There are strict dosage requirements for taking compound licorice tablets. For example, adults take a maximum of 3 to 4 tablets at a time, 3 times a day, and children need to reduce the dose as appropriate. If symptoms such as coughing are not relieved after taking the medicine for 3-7 days, stop the medicine and seek medical attention as soon as possible.

As for the way of taking the medicine, there are two ways to swallow it or take it in the mouth. Promotes increased glandular secretion, which in turn thins sputum, making it easier to expectorate.

2. Taboo crowd

Not everyone can take compound licorice tablets, such as

• patients with hypertension and diabetes< /strong>: This medicine can cause water and sodium retention, which increases blood pressure and blood sugar;
• patients with enlarged prostate and constipation strong>: The opioids in it can cause smooth muscle relaxation, leading to difficulty in defecation and urination;
• pregnant and lactating women: Avoid it as much as possible to avoid addiction, and the consequences of overdose are very serious.

3. Drug effects

When taking compound licorice tablets, in order to To better exert the effect of the drug, pay attention to avoid taking it with some drugs, such as strong antitussive drugs, so as to avoid toxic reactions caused by the superposition of similar drugs ; Cardiac glycosides are easy to induce cardiac glycoside poisoning, and should not be taken with antihypertensive and hypoglycemic drugs, so as not to reduce the efficacy of the drug.

Generally speaking, taking compound licorice tablets reasonably is not harmful to health, so in order to To do this better, it is recommended that you take it under the doctor’s advice. In addition, don’t pass the customs with drugs without permission, so as not to be caught, it is really unreasonable!

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