Evidence supporting the use of: Alcohol
For the health condition: Cough (general)

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Synopsis

Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 2

Alcohol has a long history of use in cough remedies, dating back centuries. Traditionally, alcohol has been included in cough syrups and home remedies due to its properties as a mild sedative and its ability to provide a warming sensation, which can subjectively soothe throat irritation. Alcohol can act as a solvent for other medicinal ingredients and as a preservative, which further contributed to its inclusion in many over-the-counter (OTC) and homemade cough remedies.

However, scientific evidence supporting alcohol’s direct effectiveness as an antitussive (cough suppressant) is minimal. While alcohol may temporarily numb the throat and reduce irritation, clinical studies do not validate its use as a primary or effective treatment for cough. Modern medical guidelines do not recommend alcohol for cough management, particularly because of its potential for abuse, negative health effects, and unsuitability for children and certain populations. Its use persists more out of tradition and formulation convenience than out of evidence-based efficacy. As a result, alcohol’s rating for supporting cough treatment is low on the evidence scale.

More about Alcohol
More about Cough (general)

Other ingredients used for Cough (general)

allspice
aloe vera
alpha-pinene
apple
waterhyssop
bamboo
basil
benegut perilla (proprietary)
beta-pinene
black cumin
black currant
black pepper
radish
Indian frankincense
carrot
cassia bark
cat's claw
chen pi
Chinese salvia root
cinnamon
clove
cowage seed
turmeric
elderberry
fennel
garlic bulb
ginger
glehnia root
grape
greek mountain tea
onion
green tea
heartwood
Indian tinospora
jujube
lemon
licorice root
lovage
marshmallow
nettle
ophiopogon root
orange
oregano
parsley
pear
perilla
phellodendron amurense
platycodon root
plum fruit
polygala root
pomegranate
pumpkin
raspberry
spearmint leaf
sphaeranthus indicus
thyme
vitamin C
zhejiang fritillary
zinc
sarsaparilla
boneset
mullein
tangerine
hyssop
atractylodes
lobelia
capsicum
Indian bael
neem tree
malabar nut
alpinia galangal
ferula assafoetida
hedychium spicatum
inula racemosa
anise
pistacia integerrima gall
punarnava
fumaria parviflora
prickly ash
fritillaria
lemongrass
yerba santa
elecampane
coltsfoot
root tuber
silk tree
juniper berries
amber
dodder
sweet flag
hyacinth bean
eucalyptus
menthol oil
peach
abies spectabilis
horehound
soursop
Alcohol
Aralia
Apple Cider Vinegar
Agastache
Anamarrhena
Alpha-terpineol
Ambergris
Ardisia
Angelica
acacia
Agave
Allicin
Anamu
Abrus
Alchornea
Asarum heterotropoides
Albizia
Aconite
Asafoetida
Ajuga
Andrographolide
Aerva lanata
Agarwood
Asam gelugor
Arrowroot
Andrographis
Alsonia scholaris
Allyl Sulfide
Aspen
Adenophora
Allium tuberosum
Amor seco
Aniseed myrtle
Asarum sieboldii
Alantolactone
Atractylone
Black Seed
Bermuda Grass
Bryonia
Blepharis
Bayleaf
Blackbrush
Big Quaking Grass
Bougainvillea
Bael
Butternut
Bindweed
berry
Baccharoides anthelmintica
black salt
Bee products
Borassus Palm
Buddha's Hand
Borassus aethiopum
Borage
banana
Bassia scoparia
Burning Bush
Balloon Flower
Belamcanda
Bergenia
Boerhavia diffusa
Coconut
Cactus
Citron
Citrus
Cineole
Capsaicin
Chenopodium
Cistus
Common madia
Cubeb
Cowslip
Chaenomeles lagenaria
Calamus
Coin-leaf desmodium
Cyanthillium cinereum
Cinnamaldehyde
Costus
Chekiang Fritillary
cola nut
Celosia
Clerodendrum indicum
Culvers Root
Currant
Chondrus
Dragonhead
Diterpenes
Desmodium
Dichrostachys glomerata
Empresstree
English Horsemint
Echinacea
Elder
European Field Elm
Ephedrine
Embelia
Fig
Fruit
Fritillary
Fernbush
Flavoglycosides
Glehnia littoralis
Guava
Guaco
gum
Garlic
Grindelia
Gallesia
Garden Cress
Glycyrrhetinic Acid
Galangal
Glycyrrhizin
Himalayan Salt
Ivy
Lily
Poppy
Rose
Spikenard
Sumac
Zucchini

Products containing Alcohol

We currently have no products on Caring Sunshine that contain this ingredient.