Brostin

Indications

Bromhexine is used to loosen thick, sticky mucus (phlegm) in chest conditions with a productive cough, such as acute and chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other airway illnesses where mucus is hard to cough up.

How It Works

Bromhexine is a mucolytic. It breaks down the fibres that make mucus thick, so the mucus becomes thinner and easier to clear from the airways by coughing.

Dosage and Administration

• Adults and children over 12 years: 8 to 16 mg three times a day.
• Children 6 to 12 years: 4 mg three times a day.
• Children 2 to 6 years: 4 mg twice a day.
• Children under 2 years: only if prescribed by a doctor.

For the 4 mg/5 ml syrup, 5 ml contains 4 mg. Always use the measuring cup or spoon provided. Take after food and drink plenty of water during treatment. See a doctor if the cough lasts more than 7 days or keeps coming back.

Interactions

Avoid taking it together with cough suppressants such as Dextromethorphan or Codeine, because they stop you coughing up the loosened mucus. Bromhexine may increase the amount of some antibiotics (such as Amoxicillin, Erythromycin and Doxycycline) in lung mucus; this is not harmful.

Contraindications

• Allergy to bromhexine or any ingredient of the product
• Children under 2 years, unless a doctor prescribes it

Side Effects

Usually mild: nausea, stomach upset, diarrhoea, headache, dizziness, sweating or a mild rash. Rarely, liver enzyme levels may rise.

Get urgent medical help if you notice a severe allergic reaction (swelling of the face, lips or throat, difficulty breathing) or a serious skin reaction such as a spreading rash with blisters, peeling skin, mouth sores or fever. Stop the medicine straight away if this happens.

Pregnancy and Lactation

Not recommended in pregnancy, especially in the first 3 months, unless a doctor advises it. Bromhexine passes into breast milk, so it is best avoided while breastfeeding unless the doctor says it is needed.

Precautions and Warnings

• Tell your doctor if you have, or have had, a stomach ulcer, or if you have severe liver or kidney disease or asthma.
• People who cannot cough well (for example very weak or bedridden patients) should use it only under medical advice, as loosened mucus may build up.
• Stop and see a doctor if a skin rash appears.

Overdose

Too much may cause stomach upset, nausea and diarrhoea. Serious effects are unlikely, but seek medical advice, especially if a child has swallowed a large amount.

Therapeutic Class

Mucolytic (medicine that thins mucus).

Storage

Store below 30°C in a dry place, away from light and out of the reach of children.