Honey is a better and safer treatment for children than over-the-counter cough syrup, a new study finds.

    Researchers at Penn State College of  Medicine   found that a small dose of buckwheat honey given before bedtime provided better relief of nighttime cough and sleep difficulty in children than no treatment or dextromethorphan (DM), a cough suppressant found in many over-the-counter cold medications.

    Honey did a better job reducing the severity, frequency and annoyance of nighttime coughing resulting from upper respiratory infection than DM or no treatment. Honey also helped the coughing child and the child’s parents get more sleep.

    DM was not significantly better at alleviating symptoms than no treatment.

    These findings are especially notable since an FDA advisory board recently recommended that over-the-counter cough and cold medicines not be given to children under 6 years old because of lack of effectiveness and potential for side effects.

    The results, described by lead author Ian Paul, are detailed in the December issue of the journal Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.
Paul and colleagues showed in 2004 that neither DM nor diphenhydramine, another common component of cold medications, performed better than a placebo at reducing nighttime cough or improving sleep quality. However, honey has been used for centuries in some cultures to treat upper respiratory infection symptoms like cough and is considered to be safe for children over 12 months old. Honey has well-established antioxidant and antimicrobial effects, which could explain its contributions to wound healing. Honey also soothes on contact, which may help explain its effect on cough as suggested by the World Health Organization.

    In the latest study, the researchers enrolled 105 children between the ages of 2 and 18 at a university-affiliated physician practice site. On the first night of the study, children received no treatment. Parents answered five questions about their child’s cough and sleep quality as well as about their own sleep quality. On the second night, children received either honey, artificial honey-flavored DM or no treatment about a half hour prior to going to bed. Parents answered the same five questions the following morning.

    The randomized study was partially double-blinded: Medical staff did not know what treatment each participating family received when distributing their sealed syringe-containing envelope. Parents of children who received honey or artificial honey-flavored DM in a measured syringe were blinded to their treatment group. Parents of children in the no treatment group received an empty syringe, and therefore were aware of their child’s treatment group.

    Across the board, parents rated honey as significantly better than DM or no treatment for symptomatic relief of their child’s nighttime cough and sleep difficulty. In a few cases, parents did report mild side effects with the honey treatment, such as hyperactivity.

    “Our study adds to the growing literature questioning the use of DM in children, but it also offers a legitimate and safe alternative for physicians and parents,” said Paul, a pediatrician, researcher and associate professor of pediatrics at Penn State College of Medicine and Penn State Children’s Hospital. “Additional studies should certainly be considered, but we hope that medical professionals will consider the positive potential of honey as a treatment given the lack of proven efficacy, expense and potential for adverse effects associated with the use of DM.”

    Potentially dangerous effects of DM in young children include dystonic reactions, severe involuntary muscle contractions and spasms. Further, DM is a commonly used as a drug of abuse by adolescents.

    Cough is the reason for nearly 3 percent of all outpatient visits in the United States, more than any other symptom. It is particularly bothersome at night because it disrupts sleep. Consumers spend billions of dollars each year on OTC cough and cold medications despite little evidence that these drugs provide significant relief.

    一項新的研究表明

，治療兒童咳嗽，蜂蜜比非處方藥咳嗽糖漿來的更有效
、更安全。

    binzhouyixueyuandeyanjiurenyuanfaxianertongzaishuiqianfuyongshaoliangqiaomaimi

，huanjieyejiankesouheshuimiankunnandexiaoguobibuchiyaohefuyongyoumeishafenlaidehao，youmeishafenshixuduofeichufangganmaoyaozhongdezhikechengfen。

    蜂蜜對於減緩由上呼吸道感染引發的激烈、頻發和煩人的夜間咳嗽比服用右美沙芬或不去治療來的更有效。蜂蜜也可以幫助咳嗽兒童和他的家長獲得更多睡眠。

    服用右美沙芬和不吃藥對於減緩症狀沒有太大區別。

    這項發現成果顯著

，因為美國食品及藥物管理局顧問團近日建議，由於非處方咳嗽和感冒藥效力不足和潛在的副作用
，所以不適合6歲以下兒童服用。

    該結果由主要作者Ian Paul詳細刊登於12月發布的《兒童和青少年醫學雜誌》上。

    Paul和同事在2004年(nian)表(biao)示(shi)
，右(you)美(mei)沙(sha)芬(fen)和(he)苯(ben)海(hai)拉(la)明(ming)都(dou)不(bu)如(ru)另(ling)一(yi)個(ge)感(gan)冒(mao)藥(yao)中(zhong)的(de)普(pu)通(tong)成(cheng)分(fen)來(lai)的(de)能(neng)減(jian)緩(huan)夜(ye)間(jian)咳(ke)嗽(sou)症(zheng)狀(zhuang)，或(huo)增(zeng)強(qiang)睡(shui)眠(mian)質(zhi)量(liang)。然(ran)而(er)，蜂(feng)蜜(mi)在(zai)數(shu)世(shi)紀(ji)以(yi)來(lai)在(zai)一(yi)些(xie)文(wen)化(hua)中(zhong)被(bei)當(dang)作(zuo)治(zhi)療(liao)上(shang)呼(hu)吸(xi)道(dao)感(gan)染(ran)引(yin)起(qi)的(de)咳(ke)嗽(sou)的(de)良(liang)方(fang)，對(dui)12個(ge)月(yue)以(yi)上(shang)的(de)兒(er)童(tong)很(hen)安(an)全(quan)。蜂(feng)蜜(mi)確(que)認(ren)含(han)有(you)抗(kang)氧(yang)化(hua)劑(ji)和(he)殺(sha)菌(jun)作(zuo)用(yong)，這(zhe)就(jiu)可(ke)以(yi)解(jie)釋(shi)為(wei)什(shen)麼(me)它(ta)對(dui)於(yu)傷(shang)口(kou)愈(yu)合(he)有(you)效(xiao)。蜂(feng)蜜(mi)對(dui)於(yu)平(ping)複(fu)疼(teng)痛(tong)有(you)效(xiao)，這(zhe)也(ye)可(ke)以(yi)解(jie)釋(shi)為(wei)什(shen)麼(me)世(shi)界(jie)衛(wei)生(sheng)組(zu)織(zhi)認(ren)為(wei)它(ta)對(dui)於(yu)咳(ke)嗽(sou)有(you)效(xiao)了(le)。

    在最近的調查中，研究人員在一所大學附屬的醫生實習點聚集了年齡在2到18歲的105名(ming)兒(er)童(tong)。研(yan)究(jiu)的(de)第(di)一(yi)晚(wan)，孩(hai)子(zi)們(men)沒(mei)有(you)接(jie)受(shou)治(zhi)療(liao)。家(jia)長(chang)回(hui)答(da)了(le)五(wu)個(ge)關(guan)於(yu)他(ta)們(men)孩(hai)子(zi)咳(ke)嗽(sou)和(he)睡(shui)眠(mian)質(zhi)量(liang)的(de)問(wen)題(ti)，同(tong)時(shi)也(ye)提(ti)及(ji)了(le)自(zi)身(shen)的(de)睡(shui)眠(mian)質(zhi)量(liang)。第(di)二(er)晚(wan)，孩(hai)子(zi)們(men)在(zai)睡(shui)前(qian)一(yi)小(xiao)時(shi)分(fen)別(bie)接(jie)受(shou)了(le)蜂(feng)蜜(mi)，人(ren)工(gong)蜂(feng)蜜(mi)味(wei)的(de)右(you)美(mei)沙(sha)芬(fen)
，還(hai)有(you)一(yi)部(bu)分(fen)則(ze)未(wei)接(jie)受(shou)治(zhi)療(liao)。家(jia)長(chang)在(zai)第(di)二(er)天(tian)早(zao)上(shang)回(hui)答(da)了(le)同(tong)樣(yang)的(de)五(wu)個(ge)問(wen)題(ti)。該(gai)隨(sui)機(ji)調(tiao)查(zha)部(bu)分(fen)是(shi)雙(shuang)盲(mang)性(xing)的(de)：yiliaojigoudegongzuorenyuanbuzhidaomeigecanyujiatingshoudaohezhongzhiliao，yinweitamenfenfadeshizhuangyouzhushejidemifengxinfeng。haizidejiachangshoudaofengmihuorenzaofengmiweiyoumeishafenzhushejiduizijisuozaidezhiliaotuantiyebuqingchu。weishouyaowuzhiliaodehaizimendejiachangshoudaokongdezhusheqi，yincitamenzhidaozijidehaizishuyunagezhiliaotuanti。

    通tong過guo選xuan舉ju
，家jia長chang將jiang蜂feng蜜mi評ping為wei比bi右you美mei沙sha芬fen或huo無wu治zhi療liao對dui於yu減jian緩huan孩hai子zi夜ye間jian咳ke嗽sou和he睡shui眠mian困kun難nan症zheng狀zhuang更geng有you效xiao的de東dong西xi。在zai一yi些xie案an例li中zhong，家jia長chang發fa現xian接jie受shou蜂feng蜜mi治zhi療liao後hou
，會hui出chu現xian輕qing微wei的de副fu作zuo用yong
，例li如ru好hao動dong。

    賓州醫學院和賓州兒童醫院的兒科醫師、研究院和副教授Paul說：“我們的研究增加了對於兒童使用右美沙芬的質疑，但是對於醫生和家長還是可以合理
、安全的做出選擇。我們也認可其他的調查，但是我們希望醫療專家能夠考慮蜂蜜作為治療藥物的積極因素，以及使用右美沙芬的功效、價格和潛在的副作用。

    年幼兒童服用右美沙芬存在的潛在副作用包括異常反應、不隨意肌嚴重收縮和痙攣。此外，成年人通常會濫用右美沙芬。

    在美國，近3%的de門men診zhen病bing人ren是shi因yin為wei咳ke嗽sou來lai看kan病bing的de，比bi其qi他ta症zheng狀zhuang來lai的de更geng多duo。咳ke嗽sou在zai晚wan上shang尤you其qi麻ma煩fan

，因yin為wei它ta會hui影ying響xiang睡shui眠mian。消xiao費fei者zhe每mei年nian要yao花hua數shu十shi億yi美mei元yuan在zai非fei處chu方fang咳ke嗽sou藥yao和he感gan冒mao藥yao上shang，盡jin管guan藥yao物wu對dui於yu症zheng狀zhuang的de緩huan解jie收shou效xiao甚shen微wei。