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Related Concept Videos

Upper Respiratory Drugs: Antitussives, Expectorants, and Mucolytics01:23

Upper Respiratory Drugs: Antitussives, Expectorants, and Mucolytics

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Respiratory symptoms, such as congestion and cough, commonly accompany respiratory tract conditions. Various medications, such as antitussives, expectorants, and mucolytics, play crucial roles in providing relief.
Antitussives include codeine, dextromethorphan (Robitussin), and benzonatate (Tessalon). Codeine and dextromethorphan exert their effects centrally by suppressing the cough reflex center in the medulla.  Benzonatate operates peripherally within the respiratory tract by...
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Standard Electrode Potentials03:02

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On comparing the reactivity of silver and lead, it is observed that the two ionic species, Ag+ (aq) and Pb2+ (aq), show a difference in their redox reactivity towards copper: the silver ion undergoes spontaneous reduction, while the lead ion does not. This relative redox activity can be easily quantified in electrochemical cells by a property called cell potential. This property is commonly known as cell voltage in electrochemistry, and it is a measure of the energy which accompanies the charge...
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Drugs Used in Upper Respiratory Disorders: Overview01:16

Drugs Used in Upper Respiratory Disorders: Overview

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Upper respiratory tract disorders, including viral infections and allergic rhinitis, cause significant discomfort and disrupt daily life. Managing these conditions involves a variety of drugs, such as antihistamines, intranasal steroids, decongestants, antitussives, expectorants, and mucolytics. Specific examples of drugs in each category are provided.
Antihistamines (e.g., Benadryl) block histamines from binding. Histamines are chemicals released during an allergic reaction in the body. As a...
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Upper Respiratory Drugs: Decongestants01:27

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Decongestants are a class of medications used primarily to alleviate nasal congestion, a common symptom resulting from allergies, colds, sinusitis, and other upper respiratory tract infections. These drugs work by activating α-adrenergic receptors, constricting small blood vessels in the nasal membranes. This action results in the opening of clogged nasal passages, thereby facilitating sinus drainage and relieving congestion.
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Minerals01:26

Minerals

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Minerals are essential nutrients that the human body needs in small amounts to work properly. They play a vital role in many bodily functions, such as building strong bones and transmitting nerve impulses. Some minerals are needed for hormone production or to maintain a normal heartbeat. Major minerals include calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, sodium, chlorine, and magnesium, while trace minerals include iron, manganese, copper, iodine, zinc, cobalt, fluoride, and selenium.
 
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Leukotriene modifiers, or cysteinyl leukotriene receptor antagonists, are medications used to manage chronic asthma. These agents target specific inflammatory mediators produced during arachidonic acid metabolism, an essential process in generating inflammation in the body.
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Atomic Absorbance Spectroscopy to Measure Intracellular Zinc Pools in Mammalian Cells
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Oral zinc for the common cold.

Rashmi Ranjan Das1, Meenu Singh2

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar, India.

JAMA
|April 10, 2014
PubMed
Summary

Oral zinc may shorten the common cold duration when started early. However, it does not reduce symptom severity and zinc lozenges have frequent side effects. Caution is advised due to data variability.

Area of Science:

  • Evidence-based medicine
  • Pharmacology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • The common cold is a widespread viral infection with significant public health and economic impact.
  • Zinc is a mineral with proposed antiviral properties, leading to its use in cold remedies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy of oral zinc supplementation in managing common cold symptoms.
  • To assess the impact of oral zinc on cold duration, severity, and incidence.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials comparing oral zinc to placebo.
  • Analysis of data based on timing of zinc initiation and formulation (lozenges vs. syrup).

Main Results:

  • Oral zinc, initiated within 24 hours of symptom onset, significantly reduced cold duration in healthy individuals.

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  • No significant effect of oral zinc was observed on common cold symptom severity.
  • Zinc lozenges were associated with a high prevalence of adverse effects, including nausea and bad taste.

    • Conclusions:

    • Early initiation of oral zinc may be beneficial for reducing common cold duration, but not severity.
    • The prophylactic use of oral zinc showed reduced cold incidence in children, but this has not been studied in adults.
    • High heterogeneity in study data necessitates cautious interpretation of findings.