Codeine and its alternates for pain and cough relief. 3. The antitussive action of codeine--mechanism, methodology and evaluation.

This report-the third of a series on codeine and its alternates for pain and cough relief-presents a detailed review of the physiology and pathophysiology of cough, the methods for the experimental and clinical measurement of the antitussive action of drugs, possible mechanisms of action of antitussive agents, and includes a compilation of experimental results and clinical experience with codeine as an antitussive.