expectorant

“By the 1930s, licorice bits loaded with the expectorant had blown up across and beyond the Nordic region, including Holland, the world's largest consumer of the treat. The tang of salmiak is so popular in the region today, it's used to flavor pastries, tobacco packets, and even meat dishes.”

In India, 33 children died in 1998 after taking a contaminated cough expectorant.

Acetaminophen can help relieve aches and pains, and cold medications with expectorant can loosen up chest congestion.

By the time Columbus landed, indigenous populations in Central and South American were utilizing ipecacuanha, a root found in Brazil with expectorant and emetic properties and balsam, which is still used in some cold remedies today.

Typical ingredients include a cough suppressant, an expectorant and an antihistamine, when better hydration or drinking hot tea with honey may be all someone really needs to quell a nagging cough.