As an over-the-counter drug for eliminating phlegm and relieving cough, licorice tablets are widely used, and many people will naturally think of taking licorice tablets to relieve cough when coughing. Chen Hui, a pharmacist in Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, said that licorice extract powder, the main component of licorice tablets, has good functions of moistening lung, relieving cough and eliminating phlegm, but it is not suitable for long-term use. Chen Hui explained that the opium powder contained in licorice tablets, that is, opium, plays a central role in relieving cough. Although the content is very low, it will be addictive if it is taken in large quantities for a long time. Once the drug is stopped, patients may have symptoms such as frequent yawning, cold sweat, runny nose and even anxiety, which often takes two or three months to get rid of.

In addition to the above two components, licorice tablets also contain camphor, star anise oil and sodium benzoate. Camphor has the function of local anesthesia and expectorant. Illicium verum oil is volatile, which can stimulate gland secretion and dilute sputum after entering the respiratory tract, making it easy to cough up. These ingredients work together, which makes the antitussive effect of Gancao tablets very obvious. Sodium benzoate is an antiseptic component in the drug, which has certain antibacterial effect.

Gancao tablets are suitable for dry cough caused by external stimuli and belong to symptomatic treatment drugs. If you take medicine by yourself, the use time should not exceed 3 days. If the symptoms are not relieved after 3 days, you should go to a regular hospital to find the cause and take medicine for the symptoms.