Formulation and Evaluation of Herbal Cough Syrup: A Comprehensive Review

• Pulkit Rathore

  M.Pharm

  Author

• Anirudh Singh Deora

  Author

• Rajendra Pal Singh Rathore

  Author

• Yashwardhan Kirar

  Author

Cough is one of the most prevalent symptoms in clinical practice, arising from a protective reflex mechanism and, in chronic forms, representing a significant burden on quality of life worldwide. The escalating incidence of respiratory diseases, coupled with mounting concerns regarding the safety and dependence-inducing properties of conventional synthetic antitussives such as codeine and dextromethorphan, has generated renewed scientific interest in plant-based therapeutic alternatives. Herbal cough syrups, formulated from medicinal plants recognized across traditional systems of medicine including Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, and Traditional Chinese Medicine, offer multi-targeted pharmacological action through diverse phytoconstituents including alkaloids, glycosides, terpenoids, flavonoids, and essential oils. This review comprehensively examines the pathophysiology of cough, the rationale for herbal therapeutic approaches, the pharmacognostic and pharmacological profiles of five key ingredients — Adhatoda vasica, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Zingiber officinale, Ocimum sanctum, and Honey — and their established roles in antitussive, expectorant, mucolytic, demulcent, and immunomodulatory activities. Formulation strategies, physicochemical evaluation parameters, in vitro and in vivo pharmacological models, and quality control approaches are critically analyzed. The review also surveys key recent studies and advances in the field, including novel extraction technologies, nanoformulation strategies, and stability enhancement methods. The synthesis of available evidence supports the development of polyherbal cough syrups as safe, efficacious, and patient-acceptable alternatives to synthetic preparations, with strong potential for clinical application in diverse population groups.

Copyright (c) 2026 Pulkit Rathore, Anirudh Singh Deora, Rajendra Pal Singh Rathore, Yashwardhan Kirar (Author)

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.