The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 276 No 7383 p35
14 January 2006

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Theory proposed for cough syrups' “placebo” effect

Sweet-tasting syrups alone may provide antitussive relief by modulating the production of endogenous opioids. This is one hypothesis offered by Ronald Eccles of the Common Cold Centre at Cardiff University in a soon-to-be-published review.

It may go some way to explain why trials of “active” cough medicines rarely provide evidence of benefit over placebo. No trials have directly tested the idea. The review is available online