Ascoril and Josette, the choice of drug

There are no significant differences between Ascoril and Josette, and after consultation with a specialist, any of these medicines may be taken.

If the dosages recommended by the instructions are exceeded, both medicines can cause poisoning. In this case, an increase in undesirable effects is observed. The antidote for intoxication with mucolytics is unknown, therefore symptomatic therapy is prescribed.

Ascoril and Josette are mucolytic and expectorant drugs. These drugs are used for wet coughs. They facilitate the discharge of sputum. Despite the general indications for use between mucolytics, there are differences that you need to know before you start taking them.

Ascoril

Both medicines are dispensed only by prescription, so you can’t drink them without a doctor’s prescription, especially since they can provoke side reactions, such as:

• Headaches, insomnia, drowsiness, vertigo, tremors, convulsions, excessive irritability.
• Heart palpitations, drop in blood pressure, collapse.
• Allergy, which is manifested by a rash, urticaria, bronchospasm.
• Change the color of urine to pink.

Ascoril is a combination drug that is produced in tablets and syrup. The therapeutic effect of them is explained by salbutamol, bromhexine and guaifenesin.

The color of the tablets is white, they are round, flat in shape, have a bevel, on one side they have a risk.

As the forming components they contain: E576, E218, E216, E383, Aerosil, talc, maize starch.

Syrup has a characteristic odor. It is a viscous, transparent, orange liquid.

It includes such additional components as sucrose, E420, E422, E1521, E330, E211, E200, E110, water, a fragrance with the smell of pineapple and black currant, menthol.

The effect of the drug is explained by the medicinal ingredients included in its composition:

1. Salbutamol prevents narrowing of the lumen of the bronchi, eliminates bronchospasm, thanks to it the vital capacity of the lungs increases. When taken by mouth, it is well absorbed, up to 10% of the dosage taken is combined with proteins. The bioavailability of the active substance is 50%. Salbutamol easily migrates through the placenta. In the body, it is metabolized, excreted in the urine. The half-life for different people can vary significantly, it varies from 3.8 hours to 6 hours.
2. Bromhexine has a mucolytic and expectorant effect, facilitates the discharge of sputum. After oral administration, up to 99% of the active substance is absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract in half an hour. Bromhexine bioavailability is low, it crosses the placenta. Ambroxol is formed from it in the liver. A fully active substance is excreted from the body by the kidneys within 30 hours.
3. Guaifenesin has an expectorant and mucolytic effect. The active substance is adsorbed from the digestive tract in just 30 minutes. Guaifenesin is metabolized in the liver, it is removed from the body through the lungs and kidneys. The half-life is 60 minutes.

Joset

Josette is sold as an orange syrup. This is a combined medication that contains salbutamol, levomenthol, guaifenesin, and bromhexine as therapeutic components .

The composition of the syrup includes inactive ingredients:

• E216.
• E218.
• Macrogol.
• E330.
• Glycerol.
• Sucrose.
• Water.
• Sorbitol.
• Sorbic acid.
• E954.
• E110.

The therapeutic effect of Joset syrup is explained by its active components:

1. Salbutamol widens the lumen of the bronchi, relieves bronchospasm.
2. Bromhexine activates the cilia of the ciliated epithelium, so that sputum moves away more easily.
3. Guaifenesin dilutes sputum, facilitates its evacuation from the respiratory tract. It promotes the transition of dry cough to wet.
4. Menthol has an antiseptic effect, relieves cramps, reduces irritation of the mucous membrane of the respiratory system.

What are the drugs like?

Ascoril and Joset have the following similarities:

• Medicines are used for respiratory diseases, which are accompanied by cough with sputum that is difficult to separate.
• Medicines have general contraindications. They are forbidden to drink for diseases of the liver, kidneys and heart, uncompensated diabetes mellitus, exacerbation of gastrointestinal ulcers, hyperthyroidism, bleeding from the digestive tract, glaucoma, allergies to the composition of the drug, women in position and breastfeeding. With caution, both mucolytics should be drunk to diabetics and patients with a history of peptic ulcer.
• Both drugs are available in India.
• During therapy with mucolytics, alkaline drink should not be taken.

When taking these medicines, you need to consider that they can interact with other medicines:

• Beta2-adrenergic agonists and xanthines increase the likelihood of heart rhythm disturbance.
• MAO blockers and tricyclics enhance the effect of salbutamol and can trigger a sharp drop in pressure.
• Diuretics and glucocorticosteroids increase the hypokalemic effect of salbutamol.
• It is not recommended to take expectorant and antitussive drugs at the same time, since due to this combination sputum stagnates in the lungs, which is dangerous due to the development of infection.
• Ascoril and Josette are undesirable to drink in combination with indiscriminate β-adrenergic receptor blockers.
• Bromhexine, which is found in mucolytics, improves the penetration of antibacterial agents into the lung tissue.

Comparison, differences, choice

Ascoril and Joset have the following differences: