Expectorant action of bromhexine in chronic obstructive bronchitis.

Bromhexine was compared with a placebo in a double-blind clinical trial in bronchitic inpatients with mucoid sputum. Oral bromhexine 16 mg. thrice daily for 11 days compared with placebo resulted in a significant increase in sputum volume and significant decrease in sputum viscosity, and changed markedly the rheological characteristics of the sputum. There was, however, no improvement in ventilatory capacity or in the overall respiratory state as assessed by the patients themselves or their clinician. No patient having the drug had side-effects and there was no change in laboratory findings attributable to it.