Honey is a better and safer treatment for children than over-the-counter cough syrup, a new study finds.
一项新的研究表明，治疗小儿咳漱，蜂蜜比非处方药咳嗽糖架更有效、更安全。
Researchers at Penn State College of Medicine found that a small dose of buckwheat honey given before bedtime provided better relief of nighttime cough and sleep difficulty in children than no treatment or dextromethorphan (DM), a cough suppressant found in many over-the-counter cold medications.
宾州医学院的研究人员发现儿童在睡前服用少量荞麦蜜,其缓解夜间咳嗽和睡眠困难的效果 比不吃药或服用右美沙芬来得好。右美沙芬是许多非处方感冒药中 的止咳成分。
Honey did a better job reducing the severity, frequency and annoyance of nighttime coughing resulting from upper respiratory infection than DM or no treatment. Honey also helped the coughing child and the child’s parents get more sleep.
蜂蜜对于减缓由上呼吸道感染引发的激烈、频发和烦人的夜间 咳嗽比服用右美沙芬或不去治疗更有效。蜂蜜也可以帮助咳嗽儿童 及其家长获得更多睡眠。
These findings are especially notable since an FDA advisory board recently recommended that over-the-counter cough and cold medicines not be given to children under 6 years old because of lack of effectiveness and potential for side effects.
这项发现成果显著,因为美国食品及药物管理局顾问团近日建 议，由于非处方咳嗽与感冒药效力不足并有潜在的副作用,不适合6 岁以下儿童服用。
The results, described by lead author Ian Paul, are detailed in the December issue of the journal Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.
由主笔伊安_保罗撰写的研究结果被详细刊登在12月发布的 《儿童和青少年医学》杂志上。
Paul and colleagues showed in 2004 that neither DM nor diphenhydramine, another common component of cold medications, performed better than a placebo at reducing nighttime cough or improving sleep quality. However, honey has been used for centuries in some cultures to treat upper respiratory infection symptoms like cough and is considered to be safe for children over 12 months old. Honey has well-established antloxldant and antimicrobial effects, which could explain its contributions to wound healing. Honey also soothes on contact, which may help explain its effect on cough as suggested by the World Health Organization.
保罗和同事在2004年表示,右美沙芬和感冒药中的另一种普通 成分苯海拉明能减缓夜间咳嗽症状，或增强睡眠质量。然而,蜂蜜在 数世纪以来,在一些国家中一直被当作治疗上呼吸道感染引起的咳嗽的良方,对12个月以上的儿童很安全蜂蜜被确认含有抗氧化剂 和杀菌作用，这就可以解释为什么它对于伤口愈合很有效。蜂蜜还 能有效平复疼痛，这也可以解释为什么世界卫生组织认为它能有治 疗咳嗽的功效。
In the latest study, the researchers enrolled 105 children between the ages of 2 and 18 at a university-affiliated physician practice site. On the first night of the study, children received no treatment. Parents answered five questions about their child’s cough and sleep quality as well as about their own sleep quality. On the second night, children received either honey, artificial honey-flavored DM or no treatment about half hour prior to going to bed. Parents answered the same five questions the following morning.
在最近的调查中，研究人员在一所大学的附属医生实习点聚集 了年龄在2到18岁间的105名儿童。研究的第一晚,孩子们没有接受 治疗。家长回答了 5个关于他们孩子晐嫩和睡眠质量的问题，同时也 提及了自身的睡眠质量。第二晚，孩子们在睡前一小时分别接受了蜂蜜、人工蜂蜜味的右美沙芬，还有一部分则未接受治疗.家长在第二天早上回答了同样的5个问
The randomized study was partially double-blinded: Medical staff did not know what treatment each participating family received when distributing their sealed syringe-containing envelope. Parents of children who received honey or artificial honey-flavored DM in a measured syringe were blinded to their treatment group. Parents of children in the no treatment group received an empty syringe, and therefore were aware of their child’s treatment group.
该随机调查部分是双盲性的:医疗机构的工作人员不知道每个参与家庭受到何种治疗,因为 他们分发的是装有注射剂的密封信封。收到蜂蜜或人造蜂蜜味右美沙芬注射剂的孩子的家长对自 己所在的治疗团体也不清楚。未接受药物治疗的孩子们的家长收到空的注射器，因此他们知道自 已的孩子属于哪个治疗团体。
Across the board, parents rated honey as significantly better than DM or no treatment for symptomatic relief of their child’s nighttime cough and sleep difficulty. In a few cases, parents did report mild side effects with the honey treatment, such as hyperactivity.
通过评选,家长将蜂蜜评为比右美沙芬或无治疗对于减缓孩子夜间咳嗽和睡眠困难症状更有 效的东西。在少数案例中,家长发现接受蜂蜜治疗后,会出现轻微的副作用，例如好动。
“Our study adds to the growing literature questioning the use of DM in children, but it also offers a legitimate and safe alternative for physicians and parents,” said Paul, a pediatrician, researcher and associate professor of pediatrics at Penn State College of Medicine and Penn State Children’s Hospital. “Additional studies should certainly be considered, but we hope that medical professionals will consider the positive potential of honey as a treatment given the lack of proven efficacy, expense and potential for adverse effects associated with the use of DM,”
宾州医学院和宾州儿童医院的儿科医师、研究院的副教授保罗说我们的研究增加了对于儿 童使用右美沙芬的质疑，但是对于医生和家长还是可以合理、安全地作出选择。我们也认可其他的调査,但是我们希望医疗专家能够考虑蜂蜜作为治疗药物的积极因素,以及使用右美沙芬的功效、 价格和潜在的副作用。
Potentially dangerous effects of DM in young children include dystonic reactions, severe involuntary muscle contractions and spasms. Further, DM is commonly used as a drug of abuse by adolescents.
年幼儿童服用右美沙芬存在的潜在副作用包括异常反应、不随意肌严重收缩和接挛。此外,青 少年通常会滥用右美沙芬。