title: Use of honey associated with Ananas comosus (Bromelin) in the treatment of acute irritative cough.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the immediate improvement rate of irritative cough in patients treated with the combination of Ananas comosus extract and honey (Bromelin®) compared with the use of honey alone (placebo group).
  
  
  METHODS
  Pragmatic, double-blind, randomized, parallel-group study with children aged between 2 and 15 years, with irritative cough for at least 24hours. The double-blind assessment of cough was through the number of observed coughing episodes and intensity score for a period of 10minutes of observation. The decrease of one point in the mean total score was considered as a therapeutic effect.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a reduction in coughing episodes in both groups, as well as in the cough score after 30minutes of drug or honey administration. The change in clinical score above two points, which could indicate marked improvement, occurred in five patients in the bromelin group and only in one in the placebo group, but without significant difference. There were no adverse events.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The immediate improvement rate of irritative cough was similar in patients treated with combination of Ananas comosus extract and honey (Bromelin®) compared with the use of honey alone (placebo group). It is possible that honey has a therapeutic effect on mucus and cough characteristics (Clinical Trials: NCT01356693).
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Recife, PE, Brasil.
authors.forename: Décio Medeiros
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Peixoto
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Recife, PE, Brasil.
authors.forename: José Angelo
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Rizzo
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Recife, PE, Brasil.
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schor
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Recife, PE, Brasil.
authors.forename: Almerinda Rêgo
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Recife, PE, Brasil.
authors.forename: Dinaldo Cavalcanti de
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Paulo (Unifesp), São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Dirceu
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Solé
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Recife, PE, Brasil. Electronic address: emanuel.sarinho@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Emanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sarinho
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D031230:Ananas; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003371:Cough / Q000628:therapy*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006722:Honey; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Bromelin; Bromelina; Cough; Honey; Mel; Tosse