The Chemistry of Cough Syrup and Whether or Not It Really Works

The American Chemical Society series Reactions analyzed the chemistry of cough syrup and looked at a systematic review of scientific studies to determine just how effective it really is at stopping coughs, and whether other remedies might work better.

What do you do when you have a bad cough? If you reach for the cherry-flavored cough medicine, you’re not alone. Every year, people spend billions of dollars on this stuff. But does any of it actually work? In this episode, we explain the chemistry behind cough medicine, and dig into the evidence to find out which remedies actually work.