What is the medicine guaifenesina?

Question

What is the medicine Guaifenesina?

Answer 1

It's guaifenesin, the main ingredient in over-the-counter (OTC) expectorant drugs like Mucinex. Its purpose is to thin mucus secretions so they can be coughed or sneezed out of the body. (Thick mucus that stays in the body when you're sick just provides a breeding ground for more bateria that continue to make you sick.)

Answer 2

This is not always true, but for the most part, for a lot of medications, you can simply drop the final "a" or last few letters to determine the American name. Many medications sold in Mexico, for example, have similar enough names that if you Google it, you can find the answer quickly in English.