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Cough & Chest

A cough is the airway clearing itself, so the aim is to make it work rather than to silence it. A lingering cough after a virus is ordinary and can take three weeks.

What actually helps
  • Matching the remedy to the cough: loosen a chesty one, soothe a dry one.
  • Steam and fluids, which thin mucus better than most syrups.
  • Honey, which has as much evidence behind it as many cough mixtures.
  • Staying away from smoke, including other people's.

Products for this

43 products
Benylin All In 1 100ml
Benylin
Benylin All In 1 100ml
Paracetamol, guaifenesin and phenylephrine (confirm on pack)

One measured liquid covering aches, chest mucus and blocked nose together.

R131.99
Benylin Cough Lozenges Lemon 20
Benylin
Benylin Cough Lozenges Lemon 20
Mentholated demulcent lozenge

Mentholated demulcent lozenges that quiet the cough tickle between doses.

R69.99
Benylin Wet Cough ASC-Free 50ml Syrup
Benylin
Benylin Wet Cough ASC-Free 50ml Syrup
Guaifenesin (alcohol-, sugar-, colourant-free)

Trial-size expectorant free of alcohol, sugar and colourants for diabetic households.

R53.99
Borstol Cough Remedy Emulsion 50ml
Borstol
Borstol Cough Remedy Emulsion 50ml
Ammonium chloride with senega, buchu, camphor, cinchona, sulphur balsam and gum turpentine (traditional; contains alcohol)

Creamy small-format emulsion of the century-old traditional chest remedy.

R51.99
Borstol Cough Remedy Regular 100ml
Borstol
Borstol Cough Remedy Regular 100ml
Ammonium chloride 29mg/10ml with senega, buchu, camphor, cinchona, sulphur balsam and gum turpentine; ethyl alcohol 15.7% v/v

The standard bottle of the century-old ammonium chloride and herb chest remedy.

R77.99
Borstol Orange Liq 50ml Cough Syrup
Borstol
Borstol Orange Liq 50ml Cough Syrup
Ammonium chloride with senega, buchu, camphor, cinchona, sulphur balsam and gum turpentine (traditional; contains alcohol)

Orange-flavoured version of the traditional chest remedy for gentler palates.

R51.99
Expigen Cough Syrup 200ml Original
Expigen
Expigen Cough Syrup 200ml Original
Sorbimacrogol laurate 36.3 mg with ammonium chloride 34 mg per 10ml

Budget surfactant expectorant syrup, alcohol- and tartrazine-free, for phlegmy coughs.

R136.99
Flutex Cough Mix Honey 100ml
Flutex
Flutex Cough Mix Honey 100ml
Honey-based demulcent cough syrup

Honey cough syrup built on the one cough ingredient Cochrane actually supports.

R89.99
Himalaya Koflet-H Lozenges Lemon 2x6
Himalaya
Himalaya Koflet-H Lozenges Lemon 2x6
Honey with liquorice, ginger and ayurvedic herbs

Lemon ayurvedic honey-herb lozenges that coat and calm a scratchy throat.

R34.99
Himalaya Koflet-H Lozenges Orange 2x6
Himalaya
Himalaya Koflet-H Lozenges Orange 2x6
Honey with liquorice, ginger and ayurvedic herbs

Ayurvedic honey-herb lozenges in orange for traditional soothing of a raw throat.

R34.99
Karvol Decongestant Chest Rub 50g
Karvol
Karvol Decongestant Chest Rub 50g
Menthol, pine and aromatic oils

Classic aromatic chest rub spreading the bedtime vapour ritual, off-limits under two.

R63.99
Karvol Inhalent Caps 10
Karvol
Karvol Inhalent Caps 10
Menthol, pine, terpineol aromatic oils

Twist-open vapour capsules sprinkled near the pillow for easier-feeling night breathing.

R103.99
Lennon Balsem Sulphuris 20ml
Lennon
Lennon Balsem Sulphuris 20ml
Sulphurated balsam (traditional)

Traditional sulphur balsam of the Dutch shelf for chest rubs and drop doses, adults.

R41.99
Lennon Cough Mix Honey 100ml Dutch Meds
Lennon
Lennon Cough Mix Honey 100ml Dutch Meds
Traditional honey cough formulation — VERIFY LABEL

Honey-flavoured heritage cough mixture leaning on the demulcent sweetness that works.

R74.99
Lennon Turlington 20ml
Lennon
Lennon Turlington 20ml
Compound benzoin tincture (Friar's Balsam)

Friar's Balsam of the Dutch tradition for minor skin knocks and steam inhalation.

R41.99
Linctagon C Adult Cold & Flu Syrup 100ml
Linctagon
Linctagon C Adult Cold & Flu Syrup 100ml
Pelargonium sidoides extract with vitamin C

Pelargonium cold and flu syrup with trial evidence of shortening colds when started early.

R112.99
Linctagon C Effervescent Cherry Tabs 20
Linctagon
Linctagon C Effervescent Cherry Tabs 20
Pelargonium sidoides extract with vitamin C and zinc

Effervescent Pelargonium and vitamin C for colds, flu, sore throat and chesty coughs.

R217.76
Prospan Cough Effervescent 10
Prospan
Prospan Cough Effervescent 10
Ivy leaf extract EA 575

The trial-backed ivy extract as a fizzy drink for cough relief while travelling.

R114.99
Prospan Cough Liquid Menthol 100ml
Prospan
Prospan Cough Liquid Menthol 100ml
Ivy leaf extract EA 575 (Hedera helix)

Trial-backed ivy leaf cough syrup, alcohol- and sugar-free, in the standard 100ml.

R115.99
Prospan Cough Liquid Menthol 200ml
Prospan
Prospan Cough Liquid Menthol 200ml
Ivy leaf extract EA 575 (Hedera helix)

The world's best-selling ivy cough syrup with real trial evidence, family 200ml bottle.

R202.99
Prospan Lozenges 20
Prospan
Prospan Lozenges 20
Ivy leaf extract EA 575

The trialled ivy extract in pocket lozenge form for daytime cough control.

R195.99
Puma Cough Syrup 50ml
Puma
Puma Cough Syrup 50ml
Traditional cough mixture (read pack for actives)

Small sharp heritage cough syrup bought on generational memory.

R44.99
Q-Tuss Cough Syrup 100ml
Q-Tuss
Q-Tuss Cough Syrup 100ml
Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) and ivy leaf (Hedera helix) liquid extracts

Thyme and ivy cough syrup, the herbal pairing with real bronchitis trials behind it.

R169.99
Relief Coff Natural 200ml
Relief
Relief Coff Natural 200ml
Ivy leaf extract (Hedera helix) 7 mg/ml

Natural ivy leaf cough syrup, the trial-backed botanical for wet and irritated coughs.

R200.99
Vicks Actaplus Wet + Dry 200ml
Vicks
Vicks Actaplus Wet + Dry 200ml
Holy basil, liquorice, turmeric, ginger, tailed pepper, aloe vera and levomenthol (ayurvedic extracts)

Ayurvedic herbal soothing syrup for wet and dry coughs, family-size non-drowsy bottle.

R122.99
Vicks Actaplus Wet + Dry 50ml
Vicks
Vicks Actaplus Wet + Dry 50ml
Holy basil, liquorice, turmeric, ginger, tailed pepper, aloe vera and levomenthol (ayurvedic extracts)

Trial-size ayurvedic herbal syrup that soothes wet and dry coughs without drowsiness.

R46.99
Vicks Baby Rub 45g
Vicks
Vicks Baby Rub 45g
Aloe, lavender and rosemary in petrolatum (camphor-free)

Camphor-free baby chest rub for the bedtime massage ritual, safe where VapoRub is not.

R68.99
Vicks Baby Rub 90g
Vicks
Vicks Baby Rub 90g
Aloe, lavender and rosemary in petrolatum (camphor-free)

Family-size camphor-free baby rub for winter's bedtime massage ritual.

R104.99
Vicks Vaporub 100g
Vicks
Vicks Vaporub 100g
Camphor 52.5mg, menthol 28.2mg and eucalyptus oil 13.5mg per gram

The century-old camphor-menthol night rub that helps sick households sleep, full jar.

R117.99
Vicks Xtra Strong Syrup 100ml
Vicks
Vicks Xtra Strong Syrup 100ml
Holy basil, liquorice, turmeric, ginger, tailed pepper, aloe and levomenthol (ayurvedic extracts)

Starter bottle of the icier high-menthol herbal cough syrup.

R105.99
Vicks Xtra Strong Syrup 200ml
Vicks
Vicks Xtra Strong Syrup 200ml
Holy basil, liquorice, turmeric, ginger, tailed pepper, aloe and levomenthol (ayurvedic extracts)

High-menthol tier of the ayurvedic herbal syrup in the family bottle.

R162.99
Woods Childrens Formula 50ml
Woods
Woods Childrens Formula 50ml
Children's cough formulation — VERIFY LABEL

The milder children's member of the famous peppermint cough family, dosed by label.

R46.99
Woods Great Peppermint Cure 100ml
Woods
Woods Great Peppermint Cure 100ml
Peppermint-based cough formulation — VERIFY LABEL

The century-old sharp peppermint cough liquid Southern Africa asks for by name.

R74.99