Sodium thiophene carboxylate does not facilitate expectoration

A randomised double-blind crossover study compared the clinical effectiveness of a 21-day treatment with 600 mg per day of sodium thiophene carboxylate and placebo in 33 patients with stable chronic bronchial disease. During the seven week trial, subjective symptoms and findings were recorded, pulmonary function tests performed and sputum physical characteristics determined. Side-effects were closely monitored. Both subjective assessment of overall clinical efficacy and statistical analysis of the above mentioned factors failed to show any significant advantage of sodium thiophene carboxylate to placebo. Sodium thiophene carboxylate appears to be an expectorant and mucoregulatory drug, lacking evidence of clinical effectiveness in the treatment of patients with stable chronic bronchitis.