Chocolate may hold cure for coughs

[dArKeR]

An ingredient in chocolate could be used to stop persistent coughs and lead to more effective medicines, researchers say.

The study found that theobromine, found in cocoa, was nearly a third more effective in stopping persistent coughs than codeine, currently considered the best cough medicine.

The researchers, from Imperial College London (ICL), said the discovery could lead to more effective cough treatments.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20041122/od_uk_nm/oukoe_health_britain_chocolate_1

The first time in 8 years I caught a cold, (from my friend in Spokane). An Asian friend gave me Propolis drops. I swear I'd never have anything work so well. Why isn't there any mention of this?

[havocmom]

1. Yipee! cuz chocolate sure tastes better than the fenegreek tea I make

to stop hacking and coughing!

Hey, I feel a cold coming on... pass the cocoa please, will ya? :evilgrin:

[onehandle]

2. You gotta link?

My weather change cough is getting worse every year.

[LibLabUK]

3. Here you go...

New Scientist story

An ingredient in chocolate may actually be a more effective cough medicine than traditional remedies, a new study suggests.

And not only that, the UK-based research showed that the cocoa-derived compound had none of the side effects associated with standard drug treatments for persistent coughs.

“These sorts of coughs, often lasting for weeks after a viral infection, can be difficult to treat, especially since it is not possible to give large doses of opiate-based medication to patients due to the side effects,” says Peter Barnes, professor of thoracic medicine at Imperial College London, UK, who led the study.

The researchers believe theobromine acts on the sensory nerve endings of the vagus nerve, which runs through the airways in the lungs to the brain.

Hmm...to get enough of the active ingredient, theobromine, to experience a therapeutic effect requires two cups of cocoa powder.. that's a lot of chocolate!

[pop goes the weasel]

4. theobromine

is already a common asthma medication.

[LibLabUK]

5. Hmm..

It's not listed in the latest British National Formulary(48) at all, and it's medicinal qualities aren't mentioned in its Wikipedia entry.

What brand name is it produced under?

[pop goes the weasel]

6. google theobromine and asthma together

http://www.med.univ-rennes1.fr/etud/pharmaco/bronchial_asthma.htm

http://www.mcvitamins.com/asthma.htm

are just two examples. I don't know any brand names off the top of my head. I just remembered it from when I used to spend a lot of time on the asthma usenet lists.

[Dogmudgeon]

8. Theophylline, maybe?

It's also in chocolate.

Theobromine, theophylline, and caffeine are all in the same chemical family. They're all stimulating, but to different degrees. They all work on smooth muscle tissue, but selectively with different groups.

I do think theobromine is available as an ethical pharmaceutical, although I'd be hard pressed to find a pharmacopia that lists it. Of course, that's related to money and politics, not necessarily medicine.

--p!

[Dogmudgeon]

9. Medicinal properties of theobromine

From the Wikipedia entry -- it's down toward the bottom:

Scientists have recently discovered that theobromine has an antitussive effect superior to codeine by suppressing vagus nerve activity. <1> (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/11/041122095327.htm)

Not much to go on here, but you'd really need to do a proper search of the literature on the big databases.

--p!

[struggle4progress]

7. Great! Can I write chocolate off on my income tax if I buy enough ...

... as a cough suppressant?

[partisan to truth]

10. lol- that'd be great.... here's a dumb question

what exactly can you write off... prescription meds maybe?

[moroni]

11. Theobromine is the reason you DO NOT give chocolate to

your pet dog or cat. Keep the chocolate for yourself and give your wonderful pet a treat specifically made for them.

moroni

[Mistwell]

12. Great

I have a cough right now...time to munch chocolate. Perhaps I should super heat it and turn it into a gas, and then inhale it?