Mucoactive agent

Mucoactive agents—expectorants—include mucolytics, secretolytics and mucokinetics (also called secretomotorics) • Mucolytics: thin (reduce the viscosity of) mucus One mucoactive agent, guaifenesin, has anxiolytic and muscle-relaxing properties. It is commonly available in cough syrups and also as sustained-release tablets. Mucolytics can dissolve thick mucus and are usually used to help relieve respiratory difficulties. They do this by breaking down the chemical bonds between molecules in the mucus. This in turn can lower the viscosity by altering the mucin-containing components. {{quote| An expectorant increases bronchial secretions and mucolytics help loosen thick bronchial secretions. Expectorants reduce the thickness or viscosity of bronchial secretions, thus increasing mucus flow that can be removed more easily through coughing. Mucolytics break down the chemical structure of mucus molecules. The mucus becomes thinner and can be removed more easily through coughing. == Mucoactive drugs==

• Thiols • acetylcysteine • mesna • Thioesters • carbocisteine • erdosteine • mecysteine • Bromhexine-like • ambroxol • bromhexine • DNAse • dornase alpha • Irritative secretolytics • ammonium chloride (not believed to work by the FDA) • Citrates • potassium citrate • sodium citrate (not believed to work by the FDA) • terpin hydrate (not believed to work by the FDA) • tolu balsam (not believed to work by the FDA) • Justicia adhatoda extracts ==References==