Choose Your Lozenges

By: Pui Yee

Editors: Jordy Wong & Jen Nee

Lozenges are for soothing and/or relieving pain and inflammatory throat and/or mouth conditions. Some lozenges can relieve irritable cough too. These lozenges usually contain antiseptic, antibacterial and some of them also contain anaesthetic (an agent which is used to numb the pain) and/or cough depressant (an agent which is used to depress dry cough). Meanwhile, there are also lozenges mainly for soothing purposes.

Know the DIFFERENCES between antiseptic and antibacterial.

Antiseptic: Kills or reduces a wide range of microorganisms on the throat and mouth surfaces by non-specific mechanisms.

Antibacterial: Kills or reduces certain microorganisms in the tissues (not only the surfaces) of the throat and mouth by specific mechanisms.

Difflam Lozenges

Generally, Difflam lozenges contain benzydamine hydrochloride (to relieve pain and anti-inflammation) and cetylpyridinium chloride (kills and reduces bacteria).  In some Difflam lozenges, they also contain pholcodine (to suppress dry cough) or lignocaine hydrochloride (to numb the throat and/or mouth pain).

*Note: You can click on the diagram for a better view.

Strepsils Lozenges

There are many types of strepsils lozenges in the market. The table below only shows some of the common and/or medicated strepsils lozenges.

Sobenz

Sobenz lozenges contain benzydamine hydrochloride (relieves pain and anti-inflammation) and cetylpyridinium chloride (kills and reduces bacteria).  

Mac Dual Action Lozenges

Mac Dual Action Lozenges contain hexylresorcinol (with antiseptic, bacteria-killing and pain relief effects).