Article: ROLE OF HONEY IN NOCTURNAL COUGH IN PAEDIATRIC PATIENTS: A CRITICAL REVIEW

Article Category: Review articles

DOI: 10.7897/2277-4343.1304103

Pages: 135-139

Author: Rakesh Kumar Nagar *, Nisha Kumari Ojha

Abstract: Acute respiratory infections (A.R.I.s) remain the leading cause of childhood morbidity and mortality in India, causing an estimated 4 million pneumonia and 1 million fatalities annually. Except during the neonatal period, A.R.I.s are the primary cause of illness and death in children under five, with an average of three to six episodes per year. The most prevalent, unpleasant, and early warning sign of A.R.I.s is cough. Cough caused by URTIs or cough without preceding infection causes parental worry in early childhood and is a primary cause of outpatient visits. Cough can impact one's quality of life, cause anxiety, and disrupt children's sleep; therefore, parents frequently seek a rapid remedy for their children. Since antiquity, honey and its numerous remedies have been used to treat coughs effectively. Honey is also essential to paediatric treatment in the Ayurveda medical system. Honey is said to cure various diseases and is recommended in multiple situations as the primary medicine as anupana, sahapana, and on occasion. To support the child's entire physical and cognitive development, Ayurveda encouraged the use of honey in the 'lehana' form, along with ghee (clarified butter oil), other herbal medicines, and Suvarna bhasma. When used to treat a night-time cough, honey gives significant symptomatic relief regarding cough severity, episode length, and insomnia. Honey's mucolytic, anti-inflammatory, and bronchodilator qualities provide comfort from nocturnal coughing, and multiple clinical research has shown that honey is more helpful in lowering cough frequency, intensity, and the impact of cough on sleep.

Keyword: Honey, Acute respiratory infections, Cough, Mucolytic, Bronchodilator