Cough Syrup Pros and Negatives

Positives and Negatives of Dextromethorphan
The common cold is one of the most common sicknesses, however we still do not have a cure for it. The only way that we can manage its symptoms is through dextromethorphan, also known as DM, which is the main ingredient in cough syrup. The medicine works by inhibiting the NMDA receptors in the cough center of the brain, and then suppresses the urge to cough. It acts as an antagonist to Glutamate and Glycine agonists, which when bound to NMDA allows the center to transmit signals that cause the person to feel pain or couch. DM takes Glutamate or Glycine’s spot on the NMDA reactor and prevents any signal from being transmitted, inhibiting the need to cough. DM is not all positive however, as it is a potential narcotic, eliciting similar effects to opium and can be abused. Dextromethorphan is a low affinity, non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonist and has a reputation for being a safe cough suppressant and a prescription for this drug is unnecessary. When dealing with pain control, DM will inhibit central sensitization and the perception of primary and secondary pain. This medicine is shown to be effective at lessening the symptoms that come along with the common cold such as coughing, congestion and sometimes a fever. DM cough syrup is cheap and easily accessible in a local pharmacy because it is an over the counter drug. Studies done using DM as a pain killer show that the side effects are less severe than opioids, and compared to the commonly used painkillers, a lesser dosage of DM is needed to control pain. Although DM is an easily accessible, low cost drug, there has been a drug abuse problem with the cough syrup containing DM and has become a popular drug to get “high off”. It takes 4 to 20 ounces daily to get high off of cough syrup. The average bottle has a 0.68-ounce recommended maximum dosage. This means that people would have to take a large amount of cough medicine to experience the feelings of getting high. DM is effective in treating coughs for adults, but not as much in children for reasons that are unknown. The use of DM in cough syrup has more positive effects than negative. Data suggests that DM’s role in pain control is much safer than it’s alternative Morphine which is extremely addictive. It’s ability to inhibit the NMDA receptor works just as well to suppress pain, and has less addictive properties. The medicine is very cost effective and easily accessible, making it easy for anyone having a cold to relieve his or her symptoms. Although it can be abused, it takes almost thirty times the daily dosage of cough syrup to get high. Someone would have to buy a lot of cough syrup to continually use it to get high. Prevention of a DM addiction and abuse is achievable with more regulation. Carefully controlling DM can be as easy as making it illegal for minors to purchase, selling it behind a pharmacist’s desk, or limiting the amount a customer may purchase. Along with stronger restrictions on the sale of DM containing cough syrup, more research should be conduced on DM’s addictive properties to better understand prevention and find a solution for abuse.