Expel®

Expel®

What is the medicine used for?

Ambroxol HCl (Expel®) Syrup is the Most Prescribed Branded Ambroxol. As a cough medicine for kids, it can help relieve cough with phlegm that is:

• Secondary to acute and chronic diseases of the respiratory tract
• Accompanied by excessive lung secretions, due to conditions like chronic bronchitis, asthmatic bronchitis, and bronchial asthma

How This Medicine Works

Available as oral drops or syrup, Ambroxol HCl (Expel®) contains Ambroxol that helps stimulate fluid secretion in the respiratory tract and break down mucus. This leads to the production of mucus or phlegm that is less thick and sticky --- with proper dosage intake. Ambroxol also helps improve mucociliary clearance, or the process of mucus flow and transport, so phlegm becomes easier to cough up and expel. It can be heartbreaking for some parents to see kids in distress because of cases of cough with phlegm. When such symptoms strike, make sure to have helpful medicine for cough with phlegm in kids on hand so the road to recovery can begin.

What Are the Key Components of This Cough Syrup?

Each mL of Ambroxol HCl (Expel®) Syrup as Oral Drops contains 6 mg of Ambroxol (as Hydrochloride). On the other hand, each 5 mL of 1 teaspoon of Syrup has 15 mg of Ambroxol (as Hydrochloride).

Ambroxol HCl (Expel®) Syrup is also formulated with TasteRite Technology. Not only does this give the syrup an orange flavor, it also helps:

• Make the medicine more palatable for kids
• Increases compliance and likelihood of kids being willing to drink the medicine
• Lowers the risk of non-compliance and tantrums in kids who need to drink certain medicines

What Causes Cough With Phlegm in Kids?

Did you know that the process of coughing and/or spitting out phlegm is actually helpful for the body? You read that right — it is a mechanism that helps remove irritants and clear infections that are happening in the lungs.

However, when a kid struggles with a productive or wet cough (AKA a cough with phlegm) that can last for days or even weeks, this can be concerning. After all, phlegm or sputum is a form of mucus that can form within the lungs and the throat, and can indicate that something is wrong with your kid. Some of the most common causes of productive or wet cough in kids include:

• Inhalation of substances like cigarette smoke, environmental irritants, or even foreign objects
• Viral infections like colds
• Bacterial infections like whooping cough
• Asthma (chronic condition wherein the lung’s airway tubes tighten due to certain triggers)
• Bronchitis (swelling and inflammation within the lungs’ bronchial tubes)
• Pneumonia (acute inflammation within the lungs caused by viruses, bacteria, or fungi)
• Chronic pulmonary diseases like cystic fibrosis or bronchiectasis

When Should You Consult a Pediatrician for Kids’ Cough

According to health experts, parents should seek medical attention in case a kid still struggles with a cough with phlegm for three (3) weeks, if the cough worsens any time, or if any of the following symptoms are present:

• Choking or vomiting
• Blood in the mucus or phlegm
• Breathing or swallowing difficulties
• Chest pain
• High-degree fever

What Is the Ideal Dose of This Medicine in Kids?

Ambroxol HCl (Expel®) Syrup should be taken orally and ideally after meals. Suggested doses vary, depending on the age and type of medicine to be given.

Age Group	Age Group    Recommended Dose
	6 mg / mL Syrup  (Oral Drops)	15 mg / 5 mL Syrup
6 months or younger	0.5 mL every 12 hours
7-12 months	1 mL every 12 hours
1 to 2 years	1.25 mL every 12 hours	2.5 mL (1/2 teaspoonful every 12 hours)
3 to 6 years		2.5 mL (1/2 teaspoonful every 8 hours)
7 to 12 years		5 mL (1 teaspoonful every 8 to 12 hours)
Or as recommended by a doctor

If a dose is missed and the medicine still needs to be taken, just take the subsequent doses at the recommended time or schedule (i.e., every 8 or 12 hours). Refrain from giving more than the recommended amount of medicine. In case a kid takes more than the recommended dose, consult a doctor immediately.

After using this product, keep it out of sight and out of reach of children. Store Ambroxol HCl (Expel®) Syrup in an area that does not exceed 30 degrees Celsius.

Safety and Precautions
Consult your kids’ pediatrician before giving them this medicine. While Ambroxol (the main component of this medicine) is reported to not have adverse drug interactions with other medicines and is generally well-tolerated, the following side effects may occur:

• Pyrosis (heartburn)
• Dyspepsia (indigestion)
• Diarrhea
• Nausea
• Vomiting

Rashes, swelling of the skin, allergic reactions, and anaphylaxis (severe and life-threatening allergic reactions) were also reported after intake of medicines with Ambroxol HCl, albeit rarely.

Ambroxol HCl (Expel®) Syrup is available in leading drugstores nationwide at a suggested retail price (SRP) of Php of Php117.25 for Ambroxol HCl (Expel®) 6mg Drops 15mL and Php134.75 for Ambroxol HCl (Expel®) 15mg Syrup 60mL.

If symptoms persist or if any side effects occur, consult your kid’s pediatrician.

Source: PMDI, IQVIA SOLUTIONS PHILIPPINES, INC., reprinted with permission. Prescription data of brands under: AMBROXOL in 0 – 19 Years in Branded and Originator among PEDIATRICIANS covering period: January 2024-December 2024

ASC Ref No. U0241P071125E