Mucoactive agent

Mucoactive agents are a class of pharmacologic agents that include expectorants, mucolytics, mucoregulators, and mucokinetics that can affect the volume, viscosity, transportation, and composition of mucus or sputum.^[1]^[2]^[3] They often aid in clearing mucus or sputum from the upper and lower airways. These medications are used to treat respiratory diseases complicated by the oversecretion or inspissation of mucus. These drugs can be further categorized by their mechanism of action.^[4]^[5]

^ Hocquigny, Alexis; Hugerot, Hélène; Ghanem, Rosy; Haute, Tanguy; Laurent, Véronique; Cogulet, Virginie; Montier, Tristan (2024). "Mucoactive drugs and multiple applications in pulmonary disease therapy". European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics. 194: 110–117. doi:10.1016/j.ejpb.2023.12.001. ISSN 1873-3441. PMID 38048888. These drugs are classified based on their mechanism of action and mucus integration [14]. They are grouped into four different classes: expectorants, mucokinetics, mucoregulators or mucolytics.
^ Dorow, P. (1990). "Mucolytics: When dispensable, when necessary?". Lung. 168 (S1): 622–626. doi:10.1007/BF02718186. ISSN 0341-2040. PMID 2117172. Retrieved 12 June 2025. Mucolytic drugs can alter the rheological properties of mucus by acting directly on the secretions or by modifying the metabolic activity of the mucus secreting cells. ... four different classes: promotion of mucus transportation, reflex augmentation of secretion, change of physical/chemical.
^ Gupta, Rishab; Wadhwa, Roopma (2025). "Mucolytic Medications". StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing. PMID 32644589. Retrieved 12 June 2025. Mucolytics are drugs belonging to the class of mucoactive agents.
^ Balsamo, R.; Lanata, L.; and Egan, C. G. (2010). "Mucoactive drugs". European Respiratory Review. 19 (116): 127–33. doi:10.1183/09059180.00003510. PMC 9682576. PMID 20956181.
^ Rogers, D. F. (2007). "Mucoactive agents for airway mucus hypersecretory diseases". Respiratory Care. 52 (9): 1176–93, discussion 1193–7. PMID 17716385.

[b847-1] Hocquigny, Alexis; Hugerot, Hélène; Ghanem, Rosy; Haute, Tanguy; Laurent, Véronique; Cogulet, Virginie; Montier, Tristan (2024). "Mucoactive drugs and multiple applications in pulmonary disease therapy". European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics. 194: 110–117. doi:10.1016/j.ejpb.2023.12.001. ISSN 1873-3441. PMID 38048888. These drugs are classified based on their mechanism of action and mucus integration [14]. They are grouped into four different classes: expectorants, mucokinetics, mucoregulators or mucolytics.

[w982-2] Dorow, P. (1990). "Mucolytics: When dispensable, when necessary?". Lung. 168 (S1): 622–626. doi:10.1007/BF02718186. ISSN 0341-2040. PMID 2117172. Retrieved 12 June 2025. Mucolytic drugs can alter the rheological properties of mucus by acting directly on the secretions or by modifying the metabolic activity of the mucus secreting cells. ... four different classes: promotion of mucus transportation, reflex augmentation of secretion, change of physical/chemical.

[u177-3] Gupta, Rishab; Wadhwa, Roopma (2025). "Mucolytic Medications". StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing. PMID 32644589. Retrieved 12 June 2025. Mucolytics are drugs belonging to the class of mucoactive agents.

[Balsamo-4] Balsamo, R.; Lanata, L.; and Egan, C. G. (2010). "Mucoactive drugs". European Respiratory Review. 19 (116): 127–33. doi:10.1183/09059180.00003510. PMC 9682576. PMID 20956181.

[Rogers-5] Rogers, D. F. (2007). "Mucoactive agents for airway mucus hypersecretory diseases". Respiratory Care. 52 (9): 1176–93, discussion 1193–7. PMID 17716385.

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