Gancao Pills are favored by people for their cheap price and good cough relief effect, and they are commonly used cough medicine in many households. However, experts pointed out that composite Gancao Pills should not be taken for a long time, and they should generally not be used continuously for more than 7 days. Once the cough symptoms are relieved, the medication can be stopped. So what are the precautions for Gancao Pills?
Introduction of Gancao Pills
Gancao, also known as "National Elder" in Chinese medicine, is one of the commonly seen Chinese medicinal materials in our daily lives. Gancao Pills are made from the extraction of Gancao, and they have a wide range of uses, especially their medicinal value.
Gancao Pills are a kind of cough suppressant and expectorant medicine, with a wide range of effects. In the compatibility of traditional Chinese medicine decoctions and Chinese patent medicines, Gancao Pills are commonly used for their qi-tonifying and spleen-invigorating, harmonizing and relieving effects, while the extracted and processed Gancao ointment and preparations have a good cough-suppressing, expectorant, and asthma-relieving effect.
Gancao Pills are a compound preparation, with the main ingredients being Gancao ointment powder, opium powder, camphor, star anise essential oil, and sodium benzoate. Among them, Gancao ointment powder is a protective expectorant; opium powder has a strong cough-suppressing effect; camphor and star anise essential oil can increase glandular secretion, dilute phlegm and make it easier to cough out; sodium benzoate is a preservative. With the synergistic effect of these ingredients, composite Gancao Pills have a good cough-suppressing and expectorant effect.
Efficacy and Functions of Gancao Pills
1. Tonifying the spleen and replenishing qi.
Gancao Pills can be used for heart qi deficiency, palpitations, irregular pulse, as well as spleen and stomach qi deficiency, fatigue and weakness, etc.
2. Clearing heat and detoxifying.
Gancao Pills are used for abscesses, sores, sore throat, dampness and toxins, and have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. They can also be used to reduce the detoxifying effects of other Chinese medicines.
3. Expectorant and cough suppression.
Gancao Pills have a cough-suppressing and phlegm-resolving effect, and are used for cough with excessive phlegm caused by bronchitis, pulmonary emphysema, asthma, and difficulty in coughing out sticky phlegm, etc.
4. Harmonizing the effects of other medicines.
Gancao Pills are used to moderate the strong properties of certain drugs. For example, when used in combination with the Warming and Invigorating Qi Decoction, Gancao Pills can moderate the purgative effects of rhubarb and mirabilite, as well as their irritation to the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, Gancao Pills are also commonly used to harmonize the effects of other medicines in many prescriptions.
5. Relieving urgency and pain.
Gancao Pills are used for stomach pain, abdominal pain, and acute pain in the gastrocnemius muscle, etc. When used in combination with peony, they can significantly enhance the efficacy in treating acute pain, such as in the Peony and Gancao Decoction.
Side Effects of Gancao Pills
Composite Gancao Pills are mucosal protective cough suppressants, which can cover the inflamed pharyngeal mucosa and mask the local stimulation of sensory nerve endings, thus exerting a cough-suppressing effect. They are suitable for dry cough without complications.
Gancao Pills are commonly used expectorant and cough suppressant medicines in clinical practice, with significant efficacy, minimal toxic side effects, and low price. Their ingredients include Gancao ointment powder, opium powder, camphor, star anise essential oil, and sodium benzoate. Among them, opium powder has analgesic, sedative, and cough-suppressing effects. However, opium is a drug that can easily cause dependence (addiction) in the human body. Although the content in Gancao Pills is very low, long-term or high-dose use can also lead to addiction.
Gancao Pills should not be used continuously for more than 7 days, and the medication should be stopped once the cough symptoms are relieved. If taken for a prolonged period, a sense of pleasure may occur, and gradually there will be cravings and dependence on the drug. Once the medication is stopped, patients may experience frequent yawning, cold sweats, runny nose, and even restlessness and other symptoms, which often take two to three months to overcome.
Gancao Pills can cause water and sodium retention, leading to increased blood pressure, and can also increase blood sugar levels. Therefore, they should be used with caution in patients with hypertension and diabetes. Moreover, opium can cause relaxation of smooth muscles, resulting in difficulty in defecation and urination, so patients with constipation and enlarged prostate should also use it with caution.
