Remove Artificial colour and flavouring agents from Cough Syrups: An Appeal to Government and Authorities
Did you know Cough syrups which are rampantly used today because of their ease of administration, can have dire health repercussions? Cough syrups are preferred, especially by the pediatric and geriatric populations. Most Cough syrups contain Artificial flavouring and Colouring agents (AFC), which can lead to several health ailments. AFC also interferes with essential nutrient absorption and decreases its bioavailability. Children form the most vulnerable victims of these artificial agents in cough syrups. We’re putting the lives of our younger demographic at stake.
AFC comes under the class of excipients used by pharmaceutical manufacturers to make the formulation more appealing and palatable. The market for cough syrups is enormous and is expected to rise in future to a whooping 6 Billion Dollars by 2027.
But what about its health costs?
The health-related risk accompanying the most commonly used AFC are dangerous and include.
Colouring agents
- Tartrazine- Urticaria, eczema, asthma, hyperactivity and allergic reactions
- Quinoline Yellow- Carcinogenicity (tumorigenesis), genotoxicity, hives, wheezing, sneezing, and itching
- Azorubine & Carmoisine- Cutaneous and respiratory problems
- Amaranth- Asthma, urticaria, rhinitis, eczema, and hyperactivity
- Erythrosine- Tumorigenesis, thyroid-related problems, skin and gastric irritation
- Sunset Yellow- Rashes, allergies, kidney tumors, chromosomal damage, abdominal pain, vomiting, and indigestion.
- Indigo Carmine- Respiratory problem, skin and eye irritant
Flavouring agents
- Eugenol- Hepatotoxicity, carcinogenicity, skin sensitizer, asthma exacerbation, neurotoxicity
- Allyl caproate- Somnolence [general depressed activity]
- Anisyl alcohol- Skin allergies
- Cinnamaldehyde- Somnolence, hypermotility, and diarrhoea
- Geraniol- Neurotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, and skin sensitiser
- Musk ambrette- Neurotoxicity and skin irritation.
AFC causes more harm to an individual than benefits implying the idiom “out of the frying pan into the fire”. Hence while making and using Cough syrups we should not just focus on active ingredients but also excipients. Join us for this petition to appeal to the authorities, government and other stakeholders including Pharma Companies to make cough syrups free of artificial flavouring and colouring agents and make them safer for our population.