Reviewed by Dr. Younghun Cho, PharmD
It's an effective combination for common cold and flu coughs, but the significant MAOI interaction and potential for side effects lower its overall score slightly.
Pharmacist's Verdict
This combination product is a good choice for adults and older children dealing with both a productive (mucus-filled) cough and an irritating dry cough, offering effective relief from common cold symptoms.
Ingredient Analysis
Details pending pharmacist review.
Details pending pharmacist review.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Effectively calms coughs due to colds or flu (dextromethorphan).
- Helps loosen and thin mucus, making it easier to cough up and clear from the chest (guaifenesin).
- Provides relief for two common cough types (wet and dry).
- Widely available over-the-counter, making it easy to access.
- The combination of ingredients can be more convenient than taking two separate medications.
Cons
- Has a serious drug interaction with MAOI medications (certain drugs for depression, psychiatric conditions, or Parkinson's disease); it must not be used if you are taking these or for 2 weeks after stopping them.
- Can cause side effects like drowsiness, dizziness, or stomach upset in some people.
- May not be suitable for chronic coughs, coughs with asthma, or coughs related to more serious lung conditions without a doctor's advice.
- Some people may not find guaifenesin as effective as they hope for thinning very thick mucus.
Safety Information
Warnings
Warnings Do not use if you are now taking a prescription monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) (certain drugs for depression, psychiatric, or emotional conditions, or Parkinson's disease), or for 2 weeks after stopping the MAOI drug. If you do not know if your prescription drug contains an MAOI, ask a doctor or pharmacist before taking this product. Ask a doctor before use if you have • cough that occurs with too much phlegm (mucus) • cough that lasts or is chronic such as occurs with smoking, asthma, chronic bronchitis, or emphysema Stop use and ask a doctor if cough lasts more than 7 days, comes back, or is accompanied by fever, rash, or persistent headache. These could be signs of a serious condition. If pregnant or breast-feeding, ask a health professional before use. Keep out of reach of…
Is Robitussin safe for you?
See pregnancy, interactions, and common concerns answered in our pharmacist safety FAQ.
Read safety review →References
- 1.FDA Drug Label — Akin Cough Formula DM
FDA DailyMed: Akin Cough Formula DM · FDA
- 2.FDA Drug Label — Robitussin Sugar-Free Dye-Free Cough Plus Chest Congestion DM
FDA DailyMed: Robitussin Sugar-Free Dye-Free Cough Plus Chest Congestion DM · FDA
- 3.Adolescent abuse of dextromethorphan.
Schwartz RH, Clinical pediatrics, 2005 · PubMed
- 4.Over-the-counter (OTC) medications for acute cough in children and adults in community settings.
Smith SM, Schroeder K, Fahey T, The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 2014 · PubMed
- 5.Drugs for cough.
The Medical letter on drugs and therapeutics, 2018 · PubMed
- 6.Important considerations for drugs, nutritional, and herbal supplements in pediatric solid organ transplant recipients.
Pilch NA, Sell ML, McGhee W, et al., Pediatric transplantation, 2021 · PubMed