Honey is a better and safer treatment for children than over-the-counter cough syrup, a new study finds.

    Researchers at Penn State College of  Medicine   found that a small dose of buckwheat honey given before bedtime provided better relief of nighttime cough and sleep difficulty in children than no treatment or dextromethorphan (DM), a cough suppressant found in many over-the-counter cold medications.

    Honey did a better job reducing the severity, frequency and annoyance of nighttime coughing resulting from upper respiratory infection than DM or no treatment. Honey also helped the coughing child and the child’s parents get more sleep.

    DM was not significantly better at alleviating symptoms than no treatment.

    These findings are especially notable since an FDA advisory board recently recommended that over-the-counter cough and cold medicines not be given to children under 6 years old because of lack of effectiveness and potential for side effects.

    The results, described by lead author Ian Paul, are detailed in the December issue of the journal Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.
Paul and colleagues showed in 2004 that neither DM nor diphenhydramine, another common component of cold medications, performed better than a placebo at reducing nighttime cough or improving sleep quality. However, honey has been used for centuries in some cultures to treat upper respiratory infection symptoms like cough and is considered to be safe for children over 12 months old. Honey has well-established antioxidant and antimicrobial effects, which could explain its contributions to wound healing. Honey also soothes on contact, which may help explain its effect on cough as suggested by the World Health Organization.

    In the latest study, the researchers enrolled 105 children between the ages of 2 and 18 at a university-affiliated physician practice site. On the first night of the study, children received no treatment. Parents answered five questions about their child’s cough and sleep quality as well as about their own sleep quality. On the second night, children received either honey, artificial honey-flavored DM or no treatment about a half hour prior to going to bed. Parents answered the same five questions the following morning.

    The randomized study was partially double-blinded: Medical staff did not know what treatment each participating family received when distributing their sealed syringe-containing envelope. Parents of children who received honey or artificial honey-flavored DM in a measured syringe were blinded to their treatment group. Parents of children in the no treatment group received an empty syringe, and therefore were aware of their child’s treatment group.

    Across the board, parents rated honey as significantly better than DM or no treatment for symptomatic relief of their child’s nighttime cough and sleep difficulty. In a few cases, parents did report mild side effects with the honey treatment, such as hyperactivity.

    “Our study adds to the growing literature questioning the use of DM in children, but it also offers a legitimate and safe alternative for physicians and parents,” said Paul, a pediatrician, researcher and associate professor of pediatrics at Penn State College of Medicine and Penn State Children’s Hospital. “Additional studies should certainly be considered, but we hope that medical professionals will consider the positive potential of honey as a treatment given the lack of proven efficacy, expense and potential for adverse effects associated with the use of DM.”

    Potentially dangerous effects of DM in young children include dystonic reactions, severe involuntary muscle contractions and spasms. Further, DM is a commonly used as a drug of abuse by adolescents.

    Cough is the reason for nearly 3 percent of all outpatient visits in the United States, more than any other symptom. It is particularly bothersome at night because it disrupts sleep. Consumers spend billions of dollars each year on OTC cough and cold medications despite little evidence that these drugs provide significant relief.

    一项新的研究表明，治疗儿童咳嗽，蜂蜜比非处方药咳嗽糖浆来的更有效、更安全。

    宾州医学院的研究人员发现儿童在睡前服用少量荞麦蜜，缓解夜间咳嗽和睡眠困难的效果比不吃药和服用右美沙芬来的好，右美沙芬是许多非处方感冒药中的止咳成分。

    蜂蜜对于减缓由上呼吸道感染引发的激烈、频发和烦人的夜间咳嗽比服用右美沙芬或不去治疗来的更有效。蜂蜜也可以帮助咳嗽儿童和他的家长获得更多睡眠。

    服用右美沙芬和不吃药对于减缓症状没有太大区别。

    这项发现成果显著，因为美国食品及药物管理局顾问团近日建议，由于非处方咳嗽和感冒药效力不足和潜在的副作用，所以不适合6岁以下儿童服用。

    该结果由主要作者Ian Paul详细刊登于12月发布的《儿童和青少年医学杂志》上。

    Paul和同事在2004年表示，右美沙芬和苯海拉明都不如另一个感冒药中的普通成分来的能减缓夜间咳嗽症状，或增强睡眠质量。然而，蜂蜜在数世纪以来在一些文化中被当作治疗上呼吸道感染引起的咳嗽的良方，对12个月以上的儿童很安全。蜂蜜确认含有抗氧化剂和杀菌作用，这就可以解释为什么它对于伤口愈合有效。蜂蜜对于平复疼痛有效，这也可以解释为什么世界卫生组织认为它对于咳嗽有效了。

    在最近的调查中，研究人员在一所大学附属的医生实习点聚集了年龄在2到18岁的105名儿童。研究的第一晚，孩子们没有接受治疗。家长回答了五个关于他们孩子咳嗽和睡眠质量的问题，同时也提及了自身的睡眠质量。第二晚，孩子们在睡前一小时分别接受了蜂蜜，人工蜂蜜味的右美沙芬，还有一部分则未接受治疗。家长在第二天早上回答了同样的五个问题。该随机调查部分是双盲性的：医疗机构的工作人员不知道每个参与家庭受到何种治疗，因为他们分发的是装有注射剂的密封信封。孩子的家长收到蜂蜜或人造蜂蜜味右美沙芬注射剂对自己所在的治疗团体也不清楚。未受药物治疗的孩子们的家长收到空的注射器，因此他们知道自己的孩子属于哪个治疗团体。

    通过选举，家长将蜂蜜评为比右美沙芬或无治疗对于减缓孩子夜间咳嗽和睡眠困难症状更有效的东西。在一些案例中，家长发现接受蜂蜜治疗后，会出现轻微的副作用，例如好动。

    宾州医学院和宾州儿童医院的儿科医师、研究院和副教授Paul说：“我们的研究增加了对于儿童使用右美沙芬的质疑，但是对于医生和家长还是可以合理、安全的做出选择。我们也认可其他的调查，但是我们希望医疗专家能够考虑蜂蜜作为治疗药物的积极因素，以及使用右美沙芬的功效、价格和潜在的副作用。

    年幼儿童服用右美沙芬存在的潜在副作用包括异常反应、不随意肌严重收缩和痉挛。此外，成年人通常会滥用右美沙芬。

    在美国，近3%的门诊病人是因为咳嗽来看病的，比其他症状来的更多。咳嗽在晚上尤其麻烦，因为它会影响睡眠。消费者每年要花数十亿美元在非处方咳嗽药和感冒药上，尽管药物对于症状的缓解收效甚微。