Is Zarbee's Safe With Motrin Or Advil?
In our latest question and answer, the pharmacist discusses whether or not there is a drug interaction between Motrin and Zarbee's Cough Syrup.
My son is sick. He is coughing and has a very runny nose. He also has a fever. I have been using Zarbee's cough syrup and I think that it's helping. His fever hasn't gotten better though. I want to be sure that it is safe to give him Motrin in addition to the Zarbee's I'm giving him now.
Aug 13, 2021- Zarbee's cough syrup has no known interactions with Motrin, Advil, or other ibuprofen products and can be used together safely.
- Zarbee's contains dark honey and grapefruit seed extract, ingredients that do not interact with ibuprofen even though grapefruit juice is known to interact with some other medications.
- Other Zarbee's products containing ingredients like honey, zinc, elderberry, and melatonin have also been reviewed and show no interactions with ibuprofen products.
Hello and thank you for your question!
I'm sorry to hear your son isn't feeling well, although I'm happy to hear that Zarbee's cough syrup is helping with some of his symptoms.
Using Zarbee's Cough And Motrin Together
In terms of using Motrin (ibuprofen) to help reduce your son's fever, that is perfectly fine to use as Motrin has no known interaction with any of the ingredients in Zarbee's cough syrup products.
This applies to any drug that contains ibuprofen, including Advil and other generic over-the-counter ibuprofen products.
Zarbee's is also considered safe to use with Aleve (naproxen) as well.
What Is In Zarbee's Cough Syrup?
Zarbee's is a brand name, and there are several different Zarbee's cough products on the market. These products include:
- Zarbee's Children's Cough Syrup + Mucus
- Zarbee's Cough Syrup + Mucus & Immune
- Zarbee's Children's Cough Syrup
- Zarbee's Children's Nighttime Cough Syrup + Mucus
- Zarbee's Baby Cough Syrup
- Zarbee's Baby Cough Syrup + Mucus
As you can see, Zarbee's makes several different products, so there are many options for you to use.
In your question, you mentioned Zarbee's Children's Cough Syrup specifically.
This product contains (in addition to the inactive ingredients):
- Dark Honey
- Grapefruit Seed Extract
Dark honey is included in this product to help relieve cough symptoms.
Interestingly enough, multiple studies have shown that, in children, honey appears to be just as effective as Delsym (dextromethorphan). From one large Cochrane review study:
Moderate quality evidence suggests honey did not differ significantly from dextromethorphan in reducing cough frequency
So, if you are looking for a 'non-drug' option to treat your child's cough, a product with honey, like Zarbee's, is certainly a good option.
Grapefruit seed extract, which is also contained in Zarbee's Cough Syrup, is likely added to the product as it has a high level of antioxidants and can also help improve the absorption of certain nutrients.
Although grapefruit juice is fairly notorious for having several serious drug interactions (e.g. with 'statin' medications), it does not have a known interaction with Motrin (ibuprofen).
What About Other Zarbee's Products With Motrin?
As mentioned, there are plenty of other Zarbee's products out there, that contain different ingredients from what is included in their cough syrup. These ingredients include:
- African Geranium Root
- Ivy Leaf
- Melatonin
- Agave Syrup
- Zinc
- Pectin
- Elderberry
After thoroughly looking into each of these, there is no evidence that any of them interact with Motrin (ibuprofen).
You can feel safe using Zarbee's Cough Syrup, as well as other Zarbee's products, with Motrin (ibuprofen).
References & sources
- Honey for acute cough in children — PubMed
- Effect of honey, dextromethorphan, and no treatment on nocturnal cough and sleep quality for coughing children and their parents — PubMed
- Zarbee's Manufacturer Website — Zarbees
- Ibuprofen Monograph — PubChem
- Natural Standard Monographs — Natural Standard (Subscription Required)
Glossary — Terms in This Answer
- Ibuprofen
- A common over-the-counter pain reliever and fever reducer found in medications like Motrin and Advil.
- Interaction
- A reaction that occurs when two substances affect how each other works in the body.
- Naproxen
- An over-the-counter pain reliever and fever reducer sold under the brand name Aleve.
- Dextromethorphan
- A cough-suppressing ingredient found in over-the-counter cough medicines like Delsym.
- Antioxidants
- Substances that help protect cells from damage caused by harmful molecules in the body.
- Cochrane review
- A systematic study that combines results from many research trials to determine the effectiveness of a treatment.
- Statin
- A type of medication used to lower cholesterol levels in the blood.
- Melatonin
- A natural hormone that helps regulate sleep-wake cycles in the body.
Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD
Doctor of Pharmacy, board certified clinical pharmacist (BCPS), American Herbalist Guild, Medication Therapy Management certified
Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS, is a licensed pharmacist with more than 13 years of experience across retail pharmacy, clinical pharmacy, medication safety, pharmacy program development, and healthcare administration. He is the founder of HelloPharmacist.com, where he helps patients...
More answers from Brian →