Pine cough drops are a type of medicine normally used to soothe minor coughs and throat irritations, as well as to relieve symptoms associated with the common cold. These drops are usually made from pine syrup, which is a liquid extracted from pine buds. This syrup can work similarly to menthol to clear sinus passages and congested airways.
This type of cough medicine is generally considered to be a homeopathic, or a natural remedy, for the colds and flu. This is because pine cough drops normally do not contain any additives or preservatives. They are usually manufactured from pine buds or the fresh pine needles that emerge from a tree in the spring. Occasionally, sugar may be added to the pine syrup in order to make it more palatable.
Even though pine cough drops may be primarily made from evergreen trees, they might also have menthol added to them. Other drops could contain honey rather than sugar, to sweeten them. There may be artificial varieties that are produced with a pine extract or flavoring, rather than being made from real pine trees. These artificial drops may also include green food coloring so that they will look much like the authentic medication derived from pine.
The oil that is extracted from a pine bud sometimes helps soothe inflammation, and may also have a somewhat cooling effect. This is often helpful to people suffering from a sore throat or inflamed tonsils, because the lozenges may help reduce swelling in these areas. They usually tend to provide an overall soothing effect to the user as well.
People do not generally need a prescription in order to use pine cough drops. Even so, they are not normally found in most pharmacies, department stores, or retail grocers. Those who would like to use this remedy can typically purchase this medicine from online retailers or in health food stores. They are often more expensive than honey or menthol cough drops.
The effects of pine cough drops in people have not been fully evaluated. For this reason, it might be wise to forgo giving these drops to children, pregnant women, or the elderly. It is also not generally known what, if any, medications could cause harmful reactions to individuals taking this for the common cold. For these reasons, it is usually advised that people who are taking other prescription drugs seek the advice of their physicians before beginning to use this product.
