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PHARMACIST-REVIEWED GUIDE · PAKISTAN
Dry, chesty or allergy cough? Match the syrup to your cough, check the ingredients, and know when to see a doctor.
✓ Reviewed by Arhum Nadeem, Pharm-D · ✓ Based on NHS & WHO guidance · ✓ 3–4 hr delivery in Lahore
Medically reviewed by Arhum Nadeem, Pharm-D (8 years’ experience as a pharmacist) · Last reviewed: 17 October 2026
The best medicine for cough in Pakistan depends on your type of cough. For a dry, tickly cough, a dextromethorphan syrup such as Hydryllin DM or Broxol DM can calm the urge to cough. For a chesty cough with phlegm, an ivy-leaf syrup such as Prospan or Hylixia, or a mucus thinner such as acetylcysteine, is the better choice. Most coughs clear up on their own within 3 to 4 weeks; a syrup only eases the symptoms while your body recovers.
Key points
| Dry cough | Chesty (wet) cough | |
|---|---|---|
| What it feels like | Tickly, scratchy throat; no phlegm | Heavy chest; you cough up mucus |
| Common causes | Cold or flu, smog, dust, allergy, post-nasal drip | Chest infection, cold settling on the chest, smoking |
| What helps | A cough suppressant (dextromethorphan), honey, warm drinks | An expectorant or mucus thinner (ivy leaf, acetylcysteine, ammonium chloride), fluids, steam |
| Avoid | Expectorants alone won’t calm a dry tickle | Cough suppressants, which keep phlegm in the chest |
In Lahore, a dry cough often gets worse in the smog season from November to January. If your cough comes back every winter, read our smog protection guide.
Ingredients are taken from the product labels. Prices are Divine Medicines prices checked in October 2026 and can change.
| Syrup (120 ml) | Active ingredients | Best for | Causes drowsiness? | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hydryllin DM | Dextromethorphan + diphenhydramine | Dry, tickly cough, especially at night | Yes | About Rs 190 |
| Broxol DM | Dextromethorphan + diphenhydramine | Dry cough | Yes | About Rs 152 |
| Pacific DM | Dextromethorphan | Dry cough when you need to stay alert | Less likely | About Rs 180 |
| Corex-D | Dextromethorphan + chlorphenamine + ephedrine | Dry cough with blocked or runny nose | Yes | About Rs 195 |
| Prospan | Ivy leaf extract | Chesty cough with thick phlegm | No | About Rs 660 |
| Hylixia | Ivy leaf extract | Chesty cough; lower-cost ivy-leaf option | No | About Rs 280 |
| Olcuf | Ivy leaf extract | Chesty cough | No | About Rs 428 |
| Hydryllin | Aminophylline + diphenhydramine + ammonium chloride | Chesty cough with mild wheeze, as advised by a doctor | Yes | About Rs 166 |
| Mucolator sachets | Acetylcysteine 200 mg | Very thick, sticky mucus | No | About Rs 33 per sachet |
Dextromethorphan acts on the brain’s cough centre to reduce the urge to cough. It is the main ingredient in Hydryllin DM, Broxol DM and Pacific DM. Syrups that add diphenhydramine also make you sleepy, which can help at night but means you should not drive after taking them.
Who should avoid it: people taking antidepressants (especially MAOIs or SSRIs) should ask a pharmacist first, because the combination can cause a serious reaction. It is not for chesty coughs.
Ivy leaf extract (Prospan, Hylixia, Olcuf, Combinol-H) is a herbal expectorant that helps loosen phlegm. Acetylcysteine (Mucolator) thins sticky mucus so it is easier to cough up. Drink plenty of water with either; mucus thins best when you are well hydrated.
Combination syrups such as Corex-D or Rondec-C add a decongestant (ephedrine or pseudoephedrine) and an antihistamine. They can help when a cold causes post-nasal drip, but the decongestant can raise blood pressure and heart rate. Avoid them if you have high blood pressure, heart disease, an overactive thyroid, glaucoma or prostate problems, unless your doctor says otherwise.
Older combinations such as Hydryllin, Cosome-E and Cofrest contain aminophylline or theophylline, which open the airways. These medicines interact with several antibiotics and other drugs, and too much can cause a fast heartbeat, vomiting or fits. Use them only as a doctor advises, and tell your doctor about every other medicine you take.
All of these are available with home delivery across Lahore. Message our pharmacist on WhatsApp if you’re unsure which suits your cough, or browse all cough syrups.
Do not give over-the-counter cough and cold medicines containing dextromethorphan, antihistamines or decongestants to children under 6. The UK medicines regulator advises against this because the risks outweigh the benefits, and recommends that children aged 6 to 12 use them only on a pharmacist’s advice. For children, see our guide to safe cough medicine for kids.
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Questions before you buy? Message our pharmacist on WhatsApp, or read How to Buy Medicines Online in Lahore Safely.
See a doctor if your cough:
Get urgent help if you cough up blood, have chest pain, struggle to breathe, or your lips look blue. In Pakistan, a cough lasting over 3 weeks should also be checked for TB; testing is free at government TB centres.
Khushk khansi (dry cough) ke liye dextromethorphan wala syrup, jaise Hydryllin DM ya Broxol DM, behtar hai. Balgham wali khansi (chesty cough) ke liye ivy leaf syrup jaise Prospan ya Hylixia, ya Mucolator behtar hai. Do syrup ek saath na lein, 6 saal se chhote bachon ko cough syrup na dein, aur BP ke mareez ephedrine wale syrup se bachein. Khansi 3 hafte se zyada rahe ya khoon aaye to foran doctor ko dikhayen.
A syrup containing dextromethorphan, such as Hydryllin DM, Broxol DM or Pacific DM, is the usual choice for a dry, tickly cough. Choose Pacific DM if you need to stay alert, because it has no sedating antihistamine.
An ivy-leaf syrup (Prospan, Hylixia, Olcuf) or an acetylcysteine sachet (Mucolator) helps loosen and thin phlegm. Avoid cough suppressants for a chesty cough.
Plain Hydryllin is mainly for a chesty cough. For a dry cough, Hydryllin DM, which contains dextromethorphan, is the better match.
Avoid syrups containing ephedrine, pseudoephedrine or phenylephrine unless your doctor agrees. Plain dextromethorphan or ivy-leaf syrups are usually safer choices; ask a pharmacist to check.
Most common cough syrups are sold without a prescription, but you should still read the label, follow the dose and ask a pharmacist if you take other medicines or have a long-term condition.
Most coughs from colds clear up within 3 to 4 weeks. See a doctor if yours lasts longer than 3 weeks.
This article is for general information and does not replace advice from your doctor or pharmacist. Always read the pack leaflet and follow the dose on the label or prescription.
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