Researchers looked at the effectiveness of
theobromine, a compound found in chocolate, as a means of preventing
artificially-provoked coughs in 10 healthy non-smokers.
They found that theobromine was more
effective in treating the cough than codeine, which is traditionally used
in cough medicines.
The research carried out at the National
Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College, London, was presented today
at the British Thoracic Society's Winter Meeting in London.
For the study, the 10 non-smokers were given
theobromine followed by capsaicin, a cough stimulant, as a means of
assessing how sensitive they were to cough.
The effect of theobromine was compared to a
placebo and also codeine.
The study found that theobromine was more
effective than both in treating cough.
Dr Omar Sharif Usmani, respiratory physician
at the National Heart and Lung Institute and member of the BTS, said:
"Over the counter sales for acute cough medicines currently reach
approximately £100 million a year in the UK - money that is being spent on
remedies where evidence regarding their effectiveness is
inconclusive."
He said more research was needed into new
cough treatments and further studies looking at the effectiveness of
theobromine were already under way.
"But at the moment it is too premature to
say that theobromine can definitely be used to treat cough," he said.
John Harvey, chairman of the BTS's
communications committee, said: "The number of people with undiagnosed
chronic cough is increasing in this country and more effective treatments
are needed.
"The condition can be really distressing and
so I hope this research provides a clue for future treatments."
He added: "It is too early to advise people
suffering from coughs to treat themselves with
chocolate."
They found that theobromine was more
effective in treating the cough than codeine, which is traditionally used
in cough medicines.
