Cough Syrup Comparison

Types of Cough Syrup

What is a Suppressant?

Cough suppressants help decrease the amount of coughing and the urge to cough. Suppressants work by relaxing and calming down your cough reflex. These help with overnight relief and can easily be identified by the "DM" which can be found on the label.

What are Expectorants?

Expectorants help clear mucus and phlegm from the bronchi, lungs and trachea. Expectorants contain guaifenesin which is the identifying ingredient when figuring out if the cough syrup is an expectorant.

Mix of Both:

Some Cough Syrups contain both, suppressant and expectorant ingredients. Depending on your condition, it is important to check if your these types of cough syrups are right for you. 

Brand	Country Available	Manufacturer	Taste/Color/Type	Active Ingredients
	Canada	Glasgow Kline Smith (GSK)	Taste: Bitter taste of Pine and menthol Color:  White, slightly opaque  Type: Suppressant	Potassium bicarbonate (267 mg) Ammonium carbonate (153 mg) Menthol (22 mg) Camphor (2.2 mg)
	USA, Canada, UK	Reckitt Benckiser and Mead Johnson (RB and Mead Johnson)	Taste: Berry after taste, very bitter taste. Color: Redish  Type: Both	In Each 20 ml: Dextromethorphan HBr (20 mg) Guaifenesin (400 mg) Phenylephrine HCl (10 mg)
	USA, Canada	Vicks	Taste: Tasteless, Cherry, Color:  Red Type: Suppressant	Acetaminophen 650mg Dextromethorphan HBr 30 mg Doxylamine succinate 12.5 mg
	World Wide	Generic Brand	Taste: Flavors range Color: Varies Type:  Both	Dextromethorphan (DM) Menthol Guaifenesin