Allestine Cold Syrup

Composition of Allestine Cold Syrup

Allestine Cold Syrup contains Chlorpheniramine Maleate (1mg) + Paracetamol (125mg) + Phenylephrine (5mg). It belongs to the Antihistamine / leukotriene antagonist, Para-aminophenol derivative and Expectorant / mucolytic / bronchodilator class of medicines.

Uses of Allestine Cold Syrup

• This medicine is used in the treatment of allergic rhinitis
• hives and skin allergy
• itching
• allergic asthma
• fever
• headache
• body ache
• mild to moderate pain
• cough
• chest congestion and common cold symptoms.

Key benefits

• Fast relief of sneezing
• running nose and itching
• Non-sedating options are available
• Usually taken once a day
• The first choice for fever and everyday pain
• Gentle on the stomach
• unlike anti-inflammatory painkillers
• Eases a chesty cough
• Helps clear congestion

How Allestine Cold Syrup works

This medicine combines 3 active ingredients: Chlorpheniramine, Paracetamol and Phenylephrine. Chlorpheniramine blocks the chemical messengers your body releases during an allergic reaction, which relieves sneezing, a running nose, watering eyes and itching. Paracetamol reduces fever and relieves pain by acting on the parts of the brain that regulate temperature and register pain. Phenylephrine loosens and thins the mucus in your airways so a cough clears it more easily, and eases the tightness that comes with congestion.

How to take Allestine Cold Syrup

Shake the bottle well before each dose and measure it with the cup, spoon or dropper supplied — a kitchen spoon is not an accurate measure. Take it with or without food, often in the evening. Follow the dose and the duration written on your prescription.

Take it exactly as your doctor prescribed. Do not change the dose or stop early on your own.

Missed dose and overdose

If you miss a dose

Take it as soon as you remember. If your next dose is almost due, skip the one you missed — never take two doses together to catch up.

If you take too much

An overdose of this medicine can cause severe drowsiness, a fast heartbeat, confusion and, in children, agitation and fits. It can cause severe and sometimes fatal liver damage, often with no symptoms at all for the first day. It can cause vomiting, severe drowsiness, a racing heart and, with codeine, dangerously slow breathing. Do not wait for symptoms to appear — go to the nearest emergency department and take the pack or strip with you.

Side effects of Allestine Cold Syrup

Most side effects of Allestine Cold are mild and settle as the body adjusts. Reported side effects include:

• Drowsiness
• Dry mouth
• Headache
• Tiredness
• Nausea
• Rash
• Vomiting
• Stomach upset
• Tremor
• Fast heartbeat

Stop the medicine and seek help immediately for a rash, swelling of the face or lips, wheezing or difficulty breathing. Tell your doctor about any side effect that persists or worries you.

Safety advice for Allestine Cold Syrup

Warnings and precautions

Older antihistamines cause marked drowsiness — do not drive or operate machinery until you know how this affects you. Tell your doctor promptly about any change in mood, sleep, agitation or unusual thoughts while taking montelukast; this is uncommon but recognised. This relieves the symptoms of an allergy; it does not treat the cause, and it is not a treatment for an acute asthma attack. Seek emergency care for swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, or difficulty breathing. Never exceed the daily maximum printed on the pack. Paracetamol overdose damages the liver, and the damage can be silent for a day or two before it becomes serious. Check every other medicine you are taking. Paracetamol is in a very large number of cold, flu and pain combinations, and the doses add together. If you drink alcohol regularly, or have liver disease, ask your doctor what daily limit is safe for you. See a doctor if fever lasts more than three days, or pain more than five. See a doctor if a cough lasts more than a week, or comes with fever, breathlessness, chest pain or blood in the sputum. Do not give cough and cold preparations to young children except on a doctor's advice. Do not combine two cough preparations — they frequently contain the same ingredients, and the doses add up. Preparations containing codeine can cause dependence and must be used only for the period your doctor specifies.

Do not take Allestine Cold if

Not for anyone with a known allergy to this medicine or to any ingredient in the pack. The sedating antihistamines are not suitable for very young children, or for people with glaucoma or an enlarged prostate, without medical advice. Not for people with severe liver disease, except under medical supervision. Codeine-containing preparations are not for children, or for anyone with breathing difficulty.

Interactions with other medicines

Alcohol, sleeping tablets and other sedating medicines add to the drowsiness. Tell your doctor about all cold and cough preparations — many already contain an antihistamine. Regular alcohol use increases the risk of liver injury. Tell your doctor if you are on warfarin — regular high-dose paracetamol can affect it. Sedating ingredients add to the effect of alcohol and sleeping tablets. Decongestants such as phenylephrine and pseudoephedrine can raise blood pressure — tell your doctor if you are hypertensive.

How to store Allestine Cold Syrup

Store below 30°C, away from direct sunlight. Do not freeze. Once opened, use it within the period printed on the pack. Keep out of the reach of children.

Expert advice for Allestine Cold Syrup

Taking it at bedtime reduces the impact of any drowsiness. Identify and avoid your triggers where you can — dust, pollen, cold air. Take the lowest dose that works, and leave the stated gap between doses. Seek help immediately after a suspected overdose, even if you feel completely well — treatment works best when it is early. Drink plenty of water — it thins mucus better than any syrup. Steam inhalation helps congestion and costs nothing. Measure the dose with the cup supplied.

Manufacturer and class

Manufacturer:

BIOCON LTD`

Therapeutic class:

Anti-allergic, Analgesic and antipyretic and Cough and cold preparation

Drug class:

Antihistamine / leukotriene antagonist, Para-aminophenol derivative and Expectorant / mucolytic / bronchodilator