In summer, the typical cooling sickness is the common cold. If you set the air conditioning too cool during a heatwave, you may catch a cold due to the temperature difference. A cold is accompanied by a cough, nasal congestion, runny nose, mild fever, headache, and sore throat. Usually, it resolves with sufficient rest, but using cold medicine can quickly reduce symptoms.
The ingredients in over-the-counter cold medicines that can be purchased without a doctor's prescription are generally similar. Products like Panphine, Pankol, and Cold Daewon (purple) all contain acetaminophen, which has antipyretic and analgesic effects. A pharmacist in Seoul noted, "The product ingredients are nearly identical, but the manufacturing methods and forms vary by company."
In the past, most cold medications were in tablet form, but recently they have evolved into various forms. There are now medicines that can be mixed with water like tea or taken as a paste, as well as sprays for the nose. According to the pharmaceutical industry, the domestic cold medicine market is valued at around 140 billion won.
◇ Ingredients are similar, but drug formulations differ by era
The most well-known cold medicine in Korea is Dong-A Pharmaceutical's Panphine. The slogan "Be careful of colds" is famous. Panphine received approval for tablet form in 1956 and was launched in 1961. "Pan" in Greek means everyone. It signifies that this cold medicine works well for everyone. Liquid Panphine was introduced in 1977. The current version sold at pharmacies, Panphine Q, added the letter from the English word "quick" to indicate it acts fast.
The liquid cold medicine competitor Pankol by Dongwha Pharm was launched in 1968. Currently, Pankol S is sold at pharmacies, while Pankol A is available at convenience stores. Until now, Panphine had been the top-selling cold medicine in Korea, but since the fourth quarter of 2022, Pankol has overtaken it. In the following year, 2023, it has also been reported that using singer Psy as a model was effective. In the first quarter of this year, Panphine's sales totaled 13 billion won, while Pankol (Pankol S and Pankol A) sales amounted to 16.4 billion won.
There are also cold medicines that can be taken as a paste or sprayed into the nose. The paste form involves dissolving the medicine in an organic solvent and packaging it in a stick-shaped pouch. The advantage is that it is easy to carry and store due to individual packaging. The nasal spray form is administered through spraying at intervals of several hours.
Daewon Pharmaceutical offers the cold medicine Cold Daewon in both stick and spray forms. The stick form is available in adult and children's versions. Cold Daewon Kids surpassed 10 billion won in sales in 2023. Cold Daewon Kids comes in purple (acetaminophen) and orange (ibuprofen) depending on the antipyretic and analgesic ingredients. Dongwha Pharm's Hwatubent Syrup and GC Biopharma's children’s cold medicine Cold Kids Pen Syrup are also available in paste form.
There is also cold medicine that can be taken like tea. Theraflu from Hailion is a notable example. This company was spun off from the over-the-counter institutional sector of the British GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). Theraflu is made by mixing lemon-flavored powder with warm water, allowing for quick absorption. Elderly individuals or young children who have difficulty swallowing pills can also consume it in liquid form. In Korea, it is sold by Ildong Pharmaceutical.
◇ Choose ingredients based on symptoms and health status
Because over-the-counter medicines can be purchased without a doctor's prescription, they are heavily influenced by advertising. This means patients are likely to buy medications that appear in advertisements they frequently see, regardless of their symptoms. Experts emphasize that cold medicines should be selected according to the patient's condition.
A representative from the Korean Pharmaceutical Association stated, "Each cold medicine has different ingredient contents and combinations, so I recommend the most effective products according to symptoms," and noted, "Acetaminophen and ibuprofen are used for fever, body aches, and headaches, while antihistamines are effective for runny noses and sneezing."
Cold medications include warnings such as "Taking more than the maximum daily dose (4,000 mg) of acetaminophen may cause liver damage" and "Do not take with other products containing acetaminophen or exceed the maximum dose." A representative from the Korean Pharmaceutical Association mentioned, "Acetaminophen can put a strain on the liver, so ibuprofen is recommended for patients with weak livers," and added, "Conversely, ibuprofen can cause gastrointestinal issues, so it should be considered when taking."