Bronchosan - Pine Cough Syrup for dry, tickly, irritating coughs

Bronchosan is one of Alfred Vogel’s oldest remedies. It is a cough syrup containing the extracts of freshly harvested pine (or spruce) shoots as well as honey. Young pine shoots, picked in spring when the needles are still green and soft, have been used for many decades as a traditional remedy for dry, tickly or irritating coughs.

Adults and children over 12 years: Take 5-10ml (1-2 teaspoons) two to four times daily. A measuring cup is provided.
If your symptoms worsen or if you do not feel any benefit within 1 week, talk to your doctor.

Bronchosan should not be used by:

• Children under 12 years of age
• Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding
• Those who are allergic to Spruce (Picea abies), Pine, Colophony or any of the other ingredients

5ml (6.95g) of the cough syrup contains 1.445g of extract (as soft extract) from fresh Picea abies (L.) Karsten (spruce) shoots (0.9-1.2:1.) Extraction solvent: water. The other ingredients used for the cough syrup are raw cane sugar, honey, concentrated pear juice and pine oil.

Bronchosan contains sugars (5.25g of carbohydrate per 5ml dose).

Like all medicines, Bronchosan can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.

Minor side effects may occur with use of Bronchosan Pine Cough Syrup. These are very rare and likely to affect less than 1 in 10,000 people, and may take the form of allergic skin reactions (itching, pruritis, skin rash).

If you are concerned about any side effect or if you notice any side effects not mentioned above, please tell your doctor or pharmacist.

1. It seems unusual for a cough syrup to contain Pine or Spruce shoots. Can you tell me more?

Bronchosan is unique in containing pine or spruce shoots as its active ingredient. The young leaves of Picea abies (sometimes also known as the Norway Spruce and used for Christmas trees), have a long tradition of use to help relieve coughs.

2. Is Pine the same as Spruce?

Yes. The plant used in Bronchosan, Picea abies, has been given a number of common names in the past, including Pine, Spruce and Norway Spruce.

3. Many cough syrups can cause drowsiness. Will this be the case with Bronchosan?

There is no evidence that the use of Bronchosan will lead to drowsiness as it does not contain the active ingredient present in some conventional cough syrups or cough remedies which can cause sleepiness.

4. Why can’t I use Bronchosan for my child under 12 years of age?

Bronchosan is a herbal medicine licensed or registered by the UK Department of Health. It is the policy of this government body that the use of cough syrups and other remedies for coughs are restricted in children under 12 years of age. If your young child needs treatment for his or her cough, you should make an appointment with your GP or see your pharmacist.