guaifenesin at a glance
Medicine class
Expectorant
Usual role
Symptomatic relief of chesty or productive coughs
Form
The selected products are oral liquids; ingredients and age restrictions vary.
What is guaifenesin used for?
The selected products are licensed for symptomatic relief of chesty or productive coughs.
Adult-labelled products help loosen mucus so it can be cleared by coughing.
The selected children's product is licensed for acute productive coughs in children aged 6 to 12 years.
It is not intended to suppress a dry cough or treat an underlying infection or lung condition.
How does guaifenesin work?
Guaifenesin increases respiratory secretions, helping mucus move through ciliary action and coughing. This can help a productive cough clear phlegm.
guaifenesin preparations and strengths
Oral solution
Route: Oral
Strengths: 100 mg/5 mL
Syrup
Route: Oral
Strengths: 100 mg/5 mL
How to take guaifenesin
Take by mouth and follow instructions for the exact product, as age limits and formulations differ.
Use the supplied measuring cup or an appropriate medicine spoon, not a household spoon.
Shake Covonia Chesty Cough Sugar Free Syrup before use.
Do not exceed pack instructions or take another cough or cold product without checking its ingredients.
Speak to a pharmacist or doctor before use for a long-standing cough, asthma, chronic bronchitis or emphysema.
guaifenesin side effects
Common or expected effects
- Feeling sick, vomiting or abdominal discomfort; frequency is not known
- Diarrhoea; frequency is not known
- Some formulations may cause gastrointestinal discomfort or a mild laxative effect because they contain sorbitol or glycerol
Get urgent medical advice
- Allergic reaction with rash, hives or itching
- Anaphylaxis or angioedema, including swelling of the face or throat
- Breathing difficulty associated with an allergic reaction
guaifenesin in pregnancy
Evidence in pregnancy is limited. Product information ranges from recommending avoidance to use only after a healthcare professional has weighed potential benefit and risk. Check with a pharmacist, midwife or doctor before use, including for combination products and excipients such as alcohol.
guaifenesin interactions
Clinically important interactions are uncommon, but duplication, excipients and laboratory-test interference matter.
Other cough and cold products
Using more than one product can duplicate guaifenesin or other active ingredients and increase adverse effects.
Cough suppressants
The selected children's product advises against combining an expectorant with a cough suppressant.
Medicines containing alcohol or propylene glycol
Combining these with an alcohol-containing guaifenesin formulation may increase excipient exposure and adverse effects.
Common questions about guaifenesin
Answers are fully visible for fast scanning and source review.
Is guaifenesin for a dry or chesty cough?
It is for a chesty or productive cough where mucus needs to be cleared, rather than for suppressing a dry cough.
Does guaifenesin stop coughing?
No. It supports mucus clearance, so coughing may still be needed to remove phlegm.
Sources
These sources were used to prepare and review this medicine page.
Prepared and reviewed by the iatroX editorial team.