Ambroxol 30mg/5ml oral solution
Requires a prescription from a doctor or prescriber
Ambroxol is a secretolytic agent used in the treatment of respiratory diseases associated with viscid or excessive mucus.
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Safety monitoring data
Yellow Card reports
The MHRA Yellow Card scheme collects reports of suspected side effects from healthcare professionals and patients. View the Drug Analysis Profile (iDAP) for real-world adverse reaction data.
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Suspected adverse reactions reported for Ambroxol
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Submit a Yellow Card report to the MHRA
Data from the MHRA Yellow Card scheme. A reported reaction does not necessarily mean the medicine caused it. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
EudraVigilance
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Suspected adverse reactions reported for Ambroxol
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EudraVigilance data is published by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). A suspected adverse reaction is not necessarily caused by the medicine.
1 branded products available
Therapeutically similar medicines
Similarity is based on WHO Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification and on a factual NHS dm+d therapeutic-grouping code prefix. Source data: NHS dm+d via TRUD (OGL v3.0), WHO ATC/DDD Index.
NHS prescribing volume and spending trends
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Supply & safety information
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Pharmacy links redirect to the retailer's own search and do not represent real-time stock levels. Shortage and safety information sourced from MHRA drug safety updates (gov.uk, Crown Copyright under OGL v3.0).
Codes for healthcare professionals and prescribing systems
These codes are used by healthcare IT systems and prescribers to identify this medicine.
NHS UK identifiers
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SNOMED CT and dm+d codes from NHS TRUD (Technology Reference data Update Distribution), licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. ATC codes from the WHO Collaborating Centre for Drug Statistics Methodology (whocc.no).
Active and completed clinical studies from ClinicalTrials.gov
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health (NIH). Data accessed via ClinicalTrials.gov API v2. Trial information is provided for research purposes and does not constitute medical advice.
Academic studies and reviews for this medicine's active substance
Showing the 50 most relevant studies.
Reviews & meta-analyses: 20 · Randomised trials: 20 · 1992–2026
Showing the 50 most relevant studies, sorted by most relevant.
B. den Hollander, Ho-Ang-Lan Le, E. L. Swart, et al.
Molecular genetics and metabolism, 2024
- Gaucher Disease
- Ambroxol
- Glucosylceramidase
C. Silveira, J. MacKinley, K. Coleman, et al.
BMC Neurology, 2019
Zu-Bing Zhou, Lele Yang, Chao Hu, et al.
Scientific Reports, 2023
Huanan Shen, Xing Zhao, Liangyin Xu
Heliyon, 2023
Guo Y, Guo R, Zou Y, et al.
2026
ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of ambroxol hydrochloride and clenbuterol hydrochloride oral solution (AHCHOS) in pediatric patients with wheezing disorders and provide a comprehensive evidence map of the current clinical status.MethodsA literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CNKI, Wanfang, and CBM to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the efficacy and safety of AHCHOS in children with wheezing disorders. The clinical status was descriptively summarized. Meta-analyses for efficacy and safety outcomes were performed using a random-effects model in Review Manager 5.4. Outcomes were treatment effectiveness, times to symptom and clinical sign resolution, length of hospital stay, and adverse events (AEs). All time-related outcomes were reported in days.ResultsA total of 227 RCTs were included in the evidence mapping, 14 of which met the criteria for meta-analysis. Evidence mapping revealed a general increase in the number of studies from 2005 to a peak in 2012, followed by a decline. Most studies were conducted in eastern China, particularly in Henan Province. Meta-analysis results demonstrated that combination therapy with AHCHOS significantly improved the overall response rate [risk ratio (RR) 1.26, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.10-1.44] and significant effective rate (RR 1.55, 95% CI 1.36-1.76). It also significantly reduced the duration (days) of coughing [mean difference (MD) -1.40, 95% CI -1.75 to -1.06], wheezing (MD -1.88, 95% CI -2.50 to -1.26), cough phlegm (MD -2.00, 95% CI -2.76 to -1.24), wet lung sounds (MD -1.82, 95% CI -2.33 to -1.30), pulmonary rales (MD -2.27, 95% CI -2.90 to -1.64), and hospital stay (MD -1.13, 95% CI -1.45 to -0.82). Furthermore, AHCHOS did not increase the risk of AEs compared with conventional treatment alone.ConclusionCombination therapy with AHCHOS was associated with modest but statistically significant improvements in symptom resolution and length of hospital stay compared with conventional treatment alone. However, all included studies were conducted in China, which may limit the generalizability of the findings. In addition, no definitive conclusions regarding safety could be drawn due to limited and inconsistent adverse event reporting. Further safety assessments in future trials are warranted.Systematic review registrationThe protocol has been registered on INPLASY (INPLASY202480121).
Abstract licence: CC BY
Mesquita MJTAM, da Cruz ACSN, de Abreu Lima R, et al.
2026
- Ambroxol
- Anti-Inflammatory Agents
- Antioxidants
BackgroundRepositioning offers a cost-effective approach to discovering new therapeutic applications for existing medications. Ambroxol, primarily used as a mucolytic for respiratory diseases, has demonstrated anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antioxidant properties, suggesting potential benefits in non-pulmonary conditions. This study conducted a systematic review to evaluate the efficacy of ambroxol in experimental disease models unrelated to the respiratory system.MethodsFollowing registration in the Open Science Framework and adherence to the PICO strategy for formulating the guiding question, searches were performed in PUBMED/MEDLINE, EMBASE, and SCOPUS using the keywords: (Ambroxol) AND (Anti-Inflammatory Agents OR Analgesics OR Antioxidants) AND (Animals OR in vivo). The SYRCLE tool assessed methodological quality. Among 353 identified records, eight articles met eligibility criteria.ResultsThese studies investigated ambroxol's effects in models of gastric lesions, neuropathic pain, psoriasis-like skin inflammation, hemorrhagic cystitis, and ischemia/reperfusion injuries in the liver and kidneys. Ambroxol doses ranged from 5 to 1000 mg/kg, predominantly administered orally. Its antioxidant properties were demonstrated by reducing free radicals and increasing enzymatic activity (SOD, CAT, GSH). Anti-inflammatory effects included a decrease in pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β) and histological improvements. Antinociceptive action was observed through inhibition of voltage-gated sodium channels and reduction of oxidative stress, alleviating neuropathic pain.ConclusionsDespite ambroxol's widespread clinical use, limited research has explored its non-respiratory applications. Existing studies suggest its promising therapeutic potential, reinforcing the need for further investigation into its role as an alternative treatment for various inflammatory and oxidative stress-related conditions beyond pulmonary diseases.
Abstract licence: CC BY
Zeng L, Ye H, Zhang Q, et al.
2025
ObjectiveTo systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of commonly used nebulized drugs as adjuvant treatment for non-severe mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP) in children, providing an evidence-based reference for clinical medication.MethodsA computerized search of major Chinese and English literature databases was conducted to collect randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that utilized nebulized drugs in conjunction with azithromycin (AZM) or AZM alone in children with MPP. Following literature screening, the quality of the included studies was evaluated using the risk of bias assessment tool as recommended by the Cochrane Handbook. Outcome data for each measurement were extracted, and a network meta-analysis was conducted using Stata 17.0.ResultsA total of 79 RCTs involving 7,712 patients and 9 interventions were included. The network meta-analysis indicated that all nebulized drugs combined with AZM markedly improved clinical efficacy compared to AZM alone. Among these, the combination of nebulized budesonide plus terbutaline demonstrated superior efficacy and safety as adjunctive therapy for non-severe MPP. Furthermore, Ambroxol combined with AZM was particularly effective in shortening the duration of clinical symptoms such as fever and lung rales. The combinations of terbutaline or budesonide with AZM significantly improved pulmonary function.ConclusionNebulized drug adjuvants to AZM therapy enhance treatment efficacy in children with non-severe MPP without increasing the incidence of adverse events. However, there is a need for more extensive, higher-quality clinical studies to overcome the limitations due to the low quality of some included articles.
Abstract licence: CC BY
Fabiana Colucci, M. Avenali, R. de Micco, et al.
BMJ Neurology Open, 2023
Xu Zhou, Xiu-Ling Jin, Lin-hong Yang, et al.
Annals of Translational Medicine, 2022
S. Mullin, Laura Smith, Katherine Lee, et al.
JAMA Neurology, 2020
Sources: aggregated from Europe PMC (EMBL-EBI), OpenAlex, Crossref, PubMed and other open scholarly databases. Retracted articles are excluded. Study information is provided for research purposes and does not constitute medical advice.
Pharmacology and chemical data from DrugBank
Key facts
Drug status
Approved
Major interactions
None known
Half-life
7-12 hours
Mechanism
Ambroxol is a mucolytic agent.
Food interactions
None known
Human targets
None mapped
Data: DrugBank · CC BY-NC 4.0
Pharmacokinetics at a glance
Absorption
Half-life
7-12 hours
Protein binding
90%
Pharmacokinetic data: DrugBank · CC BY-NC 4.0
Known interactions with other medicines. Always consult a healthcare professional.
Showing 50 of 1122 interactions
How the body processes this drug — absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination
Enzymes involved in drug metabolism — important for understanding drug interactions
ATC R02AD05
ATC R03CC63
ATC R05CB06
Chemical identifiers
CAS, UNII, InChI Key and database cross-references
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Chemical identifiers
CAS, UNII, InChI Key and database cross-references
Linked compound data from DrugBank Open Data (CC BY-NC 4.0)
Ambroxol
Additional database identifiers
ChemSpider
10276826
BindingDB
50395322
ZINC
ZINC000100070274
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:2637
GenAtlas
CYP3A4
GeneCards
CYP3A4
GenBank Gene Database
M18907
Guide to Pharmacology
1337
UniProt Accession
CP3A4_HUMAN
DrugBank citations
If you use DrugBank data in your research, please cite:
- DrugBank 6.02024Recommended citationKnox C., Wilson M., Klinger C.M., et alDrugBank 6.0: the DrugBank Knowledgebase for 2024Nucleic Acids Res. 2024 Jan 552(D1):D1265-D1275
- DrugBank 5.02018Wishart D.S., Feunang Y.D., Guo A.C., et alDrugBank 5.0: a major update to the DrugBank database for 2018Nucleic Acids Res. 2017 Nov 846(D1):D1074-D1082
- DrugBank 4.02014Law V., Knox C., Djoumbou Y., et alDrugBank 4.0: shedding new light on drug metabolismNucleic Acids Res. 2014 Jan 142(1):D1091-7
- DrugBank 3.02011Knox C., Law V., Jewison T., et alDrugBank 3.0: a comprehensive resource for 'omics' research on drugsNucleic Acids Res. 2011 Jan39(Database issue):D1035-41
- DrugBank 2.02008Wishart D.S., Knox C., Guo A.C., et alDrugBank: a knowledgebase for drugs, drug actions and drug targets.Nucleic Acids Research2008 Jan36(Database issue):D901-6
- DrugBank 1.02006Wishart D.S., Knox C., Guo A.C., et alDrugBank: a comprehensive resource for in silico drug discovery and exploration.Nucleic Acids Research2006 Jan 134(Database issue):D668-72