Safe To Take Zarbee's With Sudafed?
In our latest question and answer, our pharmacist discusses the safety of taking Sudafed with Zarbee's products.
My child has a cold and I usually want to stay away from most traditional drugs. However, the doctor recommended Sudafed for congestion which just won't clear up. Is it safe to give my child Zarbee's cold medication with it?
Sep 09, 2022- There is no known drug interaction between Zarbee's products and Sudafed, so you can safely take them together.
- Zarbee's Cough Syrup contains ingredients like honey, grapefruit seed extract, citric acid, and zinc gluconate, none of which interact with Sudafed.
- Sudafed relieves nasal congestion symptoms but does not treat the underlying cause or speed up recovery.
Answer
Thanks for your question!
There is no known drug interaction between Zarbee's products and Sudafed (pseudoephedrine). You can feel safe taking them together (or in this case, giving them both to your child).
Now, there are several different Zarbee's products on the market (e.g. Zarbee's Cough, Zarbee's Immune, etc...), but none of them contain ingredients we would expect to have any sort of drug interaction with Sudafed.
Ingredients In Zarbee's Cough Syrup
You specifically mentioned Zarbee's Cough syrup in your question. It contains the following ingredients:
- Dark honey
- Grapefruit seed extract
- Citric acid
- Ascorbic acid
- Water
- Natural flavors
- Zinc gluconate
None of the above ingredients interact with Sudafed.
Most Zarbee's products contain similar ingredients, with one or two variations. Zarbee's Cough Syrup + Mucus, for example, adds in English ivy leaf extract, and marshmallow root extract. Both of these ingredients are safe with Sudafed as well.
Sudafed Information
Pseudoephedrine is used to relieve nasal congestion caused by colds, allergies, and hay fever. It is also used to temporarily relieve sinus congestion and pressure. It will relieve symptoms but will not treat the cause of the symptoms or speed recovery.
Pseudoephedrine is in a class of medications called nasal decongestants. It works by causing the narrowing of the blood vessels in the nasal passages.
Final Words
Thanks for your question! Please feel free to reach out again anytime!
Glossary — Terms in This Answer
- Drug interaction
- A reaction that occurs when two or more medicines affect each other's effectiveness or cause unwanted side effects when taken together.
- Pseudoephedrine
- A decongestant medication that reduces nasal congestion by narrowing blood vessels in the nasal passages.
- Nasal decongestants
- A class of medications that relieve stuffy nose and sinus congestion by shrinking swollen blood vessels in the nasal passages.
- Nasal congestion
- A blocked or stuffy nose caused by inflammation or swelling of the tissues inside the nasal passages.
- Ascorbic acid
- Vitamin C, a nutrient that supports immune function and is commonly added to cough syrups.
- Zinc gluconate
- A form of the mineral zinc that is added to some products to support immune health.
- Grapefruit seed extract
- A natural substance derived from grapefruit seeds that is used in some health products for its antimicrobial properties.
- Hay fever
- An allergic reaction to pollen and other airborne substances that causes sneezing, congestion, and watery eyes.
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...
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