Tell us about your production challenge

Your earliest memory of medicine is probably a jar of cough syrup with a plastic dosing spoon attached. Although widely produced as remedies for children, medicated syrups are also available for adults. Making cough syrup starts by dissolving active ingredients into a purified water and sugar solution. But it is the distinct flavorings and colorants that persist in people’s minds long after the illness is cured.

Tell us about your production challenge

When selecting production equipment for a production plant, it is important to talk to someone with experience in your field. Our industry experts have experience with various industrial applications. We’d love to help you!
Contact us

Apply heat progressively to prevent caramelization of sucrose

Sucrose acts as both a sweetener and a thickener for making cough syrup. The solution with heat method heats the combination of sucrose and purified water until the sugar is completely dissolved. Top up the mixture with distilled water to add volume.

Heating, however, must be performed gently and gradually. One of the benefits of sucrose is its purity of color, but excessive temperatures cause it to caramelize, turning it brown.

Offset low sugar concentrations with preservatives

The solution of water and sucrose is fertile ground for colonies of microorganisms, raising risks for the product. But the hydrophilic properties of sugar also make them resistant to microbial growth. The syrup medium needs to strike a balance between viscosity and pathogen resistance.

A sucrose concentration of 85% or higher in cough syrups is considered microbe-resistant. In cases where the concentration is lower, you can counter pathogenic development with preservatives. A range of compounds such as glycerin, sorbic acid, and butylparaben are effective.

Processing pharmaceutical syrups with tolu balsam as the main ingredient

Tolu balsam is emerging as a critical ingredient in medicated formulas. Rich in benzyl and cinnamyl esters, it is frequently used in cough recipes to dissolve mucus. Tolu balsam is suspended in magnesium carbonate in a mixing tank. The mixture is then combined with the water and sucrose syrup and filtered repeatedly until the solution is clear.

Active pharmaceutical ingredients are then prepared into the solution by heating. In general, higher final temperatures result in thicker syrups and lower final temperatures in thinner ones.

A spoonful of flavorings makes the medicine go down

Most drugs in solution are unpalatable. There are two strategies to cancel out the offensive tastes: mask them or reduce their potency.

Bitterness can be covered by aromatic flavors such as mint, ginger, and cherry. Citrus flavors and raspberry work well against sour ingredients. Saltiness can be tempered with rich flavors like butterscotch, peach, or apricot. Ingredients that result too sweet can be mellowed with vanilla, fruit, and berry.

Which cough syrup technology do you need?

Filling and capping solution for oral liquid products

Manufacturers of oral liquid products frequently encounter the need...

Gravimetric filling and capping system for chlorine solutions

Industries handling chlorinated or corrosive products face...

Roll-on bottle capping solution for aluminum caps

In industries such as beverages and pharmaceuticals, securely sealing c...

Manual monoblock for filling and capping spouted pouches

In industries where precise filling and capping of flexible pouc...

Pneumatic syringe dosing system

In various industrial sectors, precise and consistent dosing of liquids is crucial for maint...

Hygienic Cartoning Machine For Pharma and Health Products

When packing single or multiple vials, ampoules or devices int...

R&D bottle cap press

When you are a small-scale producer of liquids contained in bottles with press-on lids and caps you need...

Pharmaceutical formulation and mixing tanks

Preparation lines for formulating pharmaceuticals include fixed and mobile tan...

Syrup preparation tank

Syrups and suspensions are typically produced under the same high-quality conditions as used for steri...

Cleaning and sterilization systems

An increasingly vital part of high quality pharmaceutical production is a dedicated Clea...

Ultra-fine dispersing machine for emulsions and suspensions

Producing the finest micro-emulsions and suspensions require...

Labeling machines for pharmaceutical bottles

Labels for ampoules, vials and bottles are typically applied at the end of th...

Pharmaceutical bottles inspection machine

For the visual inspection of small to medium batch-sizes of vials, ampoules or b...

Small bottle checkweigher

Any small-diameter bottle, containing prescription medication or cosmetic applications, can be pro...

Versatile checkweigher

This Versatile checkweigher is equipped with a highly versatile strain gauge load cell. It is also sui...

All your data is kept confidential

Tell us about your production challenge

We will connect you to our growing network of 20.000+ technical & application specialists working for more than 500 world-leading machine & equipment manufacturers.

All your data is kept confidential