Throat lozenges

A throat lozenge (also known as a cough drop, troche, cachou, or cough sweet) is a small, typically medicated tablet intended to be dissolved slowly in the mouth to temporarily stop coughs and lubricate and soothe irritated tissues of the (usually due to a ), possibly from the  or. Cough tablets have taken the name, based on their original shape, a diamond.

Ingredients
Lozenges may contain, an , or. Non-menthol throat lozenges generally use either or  as an. Several brands of throat lozenges contain.

Still other varieties, such as, contain , and/or  as their (s). lozenges are also available.

The job of the throat lozenge is to calm the irritation that may be felt in the throat while swallowing, breathing, or even drinking certain fluids.

History
Candies to soothe the throat date back to 1000 BC in 's, when they were made from honey flavored with , herbs, and spices. In the 19th century, physicians discovered and, which suppress coughing at its source—the brain. Popular formulations of that era included Cough Drops, first advertised in 1852, and, created in 1879. Concern over the risk of led to the development of alternative medications.