Quick Answer: Hydryllin syrup is a cough syrup made by The Searle Company in Pakistan. The regular Hydryllin syrup combines aminophylline, diphenhydramine, ammonium chloride and menthol. Doctors and pharmacists use it for common coughs linked to chest or upper airway congestion. Hydryllin DM is a different product with diphenhydramine and dextromethorphan, made for dry, irritating coughs.
Urdu / Roman Urdu jawab: Hydryllin syrup aik khansi ka syrup hai. Yeh seene ki jakran, balghami aur allergy wali khansi me istemal hota hai. Hydryllin DM alag syrup hai, jo zyada tar sukhi (dry) khansi ke liye hai. Dono me neend aa sakti hai, is liye gaari na chalayen aur doctor ya pharmacist se poochh kar istemal karen.
Medical disclaimer: This article gives general information only. It does not replace advice from a doctor or pharmacist. Always read the label on your own bottle, because ingredients and strengths differ between Hydryllin, Hydryllin Sugar Free and Hydryllin DM.
What Is Hydryllin Syrup?
Hydryllin is a branded cough syrup from The Searle Company Limited, Lahore. People in Pakistan often buy it in 60 ml and 120 ml bottles for cough, chest tightness and allergy-related irritation.
Searle sells three versions, and people often mix them up:
- Hydryllin syrup (regular)
- Hydryllin Sugar Free, which has the same active ingredients without sugar
- Hydryllin DM, which has a different formula built around dextromethorphan
Some other brands use similar names, such as Hydryllin Anti-Flu powder from a different company. Check the manufacturer name on the carton before you buy.
Hydryllin Syrup Formula and Ingredients
Searle’s product information lists these ingredients.
| Product | Active ingredients (as listed by Searle) |
|---|---|
| Hydryllin syrup and Hydryllin Sugar Free | Aminophylline 32 mg, diphenhydramine HCl 8 mg, ammonium chloride 30 mg, menthol 0.98 mg (per 5 ml) |
| Hydryllin DM | Diphenhydramine HCl 5 mg, dextromethorphan HBr 6.25 mg |
Confirm the exact strength and dose volume on your own carton, because manufacturers can revise formulas.
What each ingredient does:
- Aminophylline is a bronchodilator. It relaxes the muscles of the air passages.
- Diphenhydramine is an antihistamine. It reduces allergy symptoms, dries secretions and has a mild cough-suppressing effect. It also causes drowsiness.
- Ammonium chloride is a traditional expectorant that helps loosen mucus.
- Menthol gives a cooling feeling and a sense of clearer breathing.
- Dextromethorphan (in Hydryllin DM) is a cough suppressant that works on the cough centre in the brain.
Hydryllin is not an antibiotic, and it contains no steroid. It treats symptoms and does not cure the cause of the cough.
Hydryllin Syrup Uses
According to the manufacturer, regular Hydryllin syrup gives oral symptom relief for common coughs, including dry, tickly or troublesome coughs, when upper airway congestion is present. Searle’s product listing also names these situations:
- Productive (wet) cough
- Smoker’s cough
- Cough linked to asthma
- Cough from bronchitis and other chest infections or respiratory conditions
Doctors often choose it when a cough comes with congestion, wheeze or allergy symptoms together, because the formula covers several of these at once.
Hydryllin Syrup Benefits
The main benefits are easier breathing through relaxed airways, less coughing from allergy irritation, looser mucus and a soothing menthol effect. The diphenhydramine can also help you sleep through a night cough, which is why many people notice drowsiness.
Is Hydryllin Syrup Good for Dry Cough?
Regular Hydryllin can ease a dry, tickly cough when congestion or allergy drives it. Searle’s information describes use for dry or tickly coughs with upper airway congestion.
For a purely dry, irritating cough, Searle positions Hydryllin DM instead. Its dextromethorphan suppresses the cough reflex directly. If your cough stays dry for more than a week, talk to a doctor. Asthma, reflux, post-nasal drip and some blood pressure medicines can all cause a dry cough, and a syrup will not fix those causes.
Hydryllin DM Syrup: Uses and Difference From Regular Hydryllin
Hydryllin DM is for dry, irritating, non-productive cough. Pharmacy listings also mention cough with common cold, hay fever and allergy.
| Point | Hydryllin syrup | Hydryllin DM syrup |
|---|---|---|
| Main ingredients | Aminophylline, diphenhydramine, ammonium chloride, menthol | Diphenhydramine, dextromethorphan |
| Best suited for | Congested, wheezy or mixed cough | Dry, irritating cough |
| Opens airways | Yes (aminophylline) | No |
| Loosens mucus | Yes (ammonium chloride) | No |
| Suppresses cough reflex | Mild (diphenhydramine) | Stronger (dextromethorphan) |
| Causes drowsiness | Yes | Yes |
Do not use a cough suppressant when you cough up thick phlegm. Your body needs to clear that mucus, and suppressing the cough can let it sit in the chest.
Do not take Hydryllin and Hydryllin DM together. Both contain diphenhydramine, so the dose of that ingredient doubles.
Hydryllin Syrup Dosage
Dose depends on age, weight, the exact product and your doctor’s advice. The Searle product information (revised August 2025) gives these doses for regular Hydryllin syrup:
| Age group | Dose in the manufacturer’s information | How often |
|---|---|---|
| Adults | 5 to 10 ml (1 to 2 teaspoons) | Every 4 to 6 hours as needed |
| Children 7 to 12 years | 2.5 to 5 ml | Every 4 to 6 hours as needed |
| Children 2 to 6 years | Up to 2.5 ml | Every 4 to 6 hours as needed |
The manufacturer lists no dose for children under 2 years, so do not give it to them.
For Hydryllin DM, follow the dose printed on your carton or given by your doctor.
General safe-use points:
- Use the measuring cup that comes with the bottle, not a kitchen spoon.
- Shake the bottle well before each dose.
- Do not combine it with other cough and cold products unless your doctor agrees.
- Stop and see a doctor if the cough does not improve after a few days.
Hydryllin Syrup Side Effects
Most people tolerate it well at the label dose. The manufacturer lists these effects:
- Common: drowsiness (it often fades in a few days), headache, dry mouth, blurred vision, stomach upset, thicker chest secretions
- From aminophylline: nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, trouble sleeping, restlessness, nervousness, shaking, more frequent urination
- Rare but serious: fast, slow or irregular heartbeat, confusion, fainting, seizures, severe allergic reaction (rash, swelling of face or throat, trouble breathing)
Seek urgent medical help for seizures, a very fast or irregular heartbeat, or signs of a serious allergic reaction.
Do not drive or run machinery until you know how the syrup affects you, and avoid alcohol.
Side Effects of Hydryllin DM
Diphenhydramine causes drowsiness, dry mouth and dizziness in this version too. Dextromethorphan can add dizziness and stomach upset. Taking far more than the label dose can cause serious effects, so never exceed the labeled amount.
Who Should Avoid Hydryllin? Precautions and Interactions
Do not use it if you are allergic to any ingredient, or if you take a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI), or stopped one within the last 14 days.
Ask a doctor or pharmacist first if you have:
- Asthma, especially during an acute attack
- Heart rhythm problems, heart failure or high blood pressure
- Seizures or epilepsy
- Thyroid disease or liver disease
- Stomach or intestinal ulcer
- Enlarged prostate, trouble passing urine or glaucoma (closed-angle type)
Interactions to know about:
- Alcohol, sleeping pills, sedatives and other medicines that cause drowsiness add to the sleepiness.
- Theophylline or similar medicines should not be taken with aminophylline.
- Some medicines change aminophylline levels in the blood, including cimetidine, ciprofloxacin-type antibiotics, carbamazepine, phenytoin, rifampicin and St. John’s wort. Check with your pharmacist.
- Smoking lowers aminophylline levels, while large amounts of caffeine (tea, coffee, cola) can add to side effects.
- Dextromethorphan can interact with some antidepressants, including SSRIs, and cause serotonin syndrome. Tell your doctor about every medicine you take if you use Hydryllin DM.
Hydryllin Syrup in Pregnancy: Is It Safe?
The manufacturer’s information says to use the regular syrup in pregnancy only when clearly needed, after discussing risks and benefits with a doctor. Late pregnancy can change how your body handles aminophylline, so a doctor may need to monitor you. MedlinePlus also advises you to call your doctor if you become pregnant while taking aminophylline.
Hydryllin DM in pregnancy: reliable data are limited, and diphenhydramine is also not recommended during pregnancy in some product information. Do not start it on your own.
Many coughs in pregnancy improve with fluids, warm honey-lemon water, steam and rest. If the cough is strong, lasts more than a few days or comes with fever or breathlessness, see your doctor.
Breastfeeding: the ingredients pass into breast milk and may affect the baby, so ask your doctor first.
Hydryllin Syrup for Children
Children react more strongly to antihistamines and to aminophylline. Diphenhydramine can cause excitement and restlessness in young children instead of sleepiness.
- Do not give it to children under 2 years.
- The US FDA also advises caution with over-the-counter cough and cold medicines in young children, and many labels advise against use under 4 years.
- For ages 2 to 12, stay within the doses the doctor gives, and never guess by weight.
Safer first steps for a coughing child include fluids, saline nose drops, a humidifier and keeping the head slightly raised. Honey works for children over 1 year, and it must never go to infants under 1 year.
Hydryllin Syrup Price in Pakistan
Some Pakistani drug databases list a retail price of roughly PKR 180 to 200 for 120 ml packs of Hydryllin Sugar Free and Hydryllin DM (checked 15 Oct 2026), but online stores and local pharmacies often charge differently.
Hydryllin DM syrup price in Pakistan follows the same pattern, so check the printed retail price on the carton.
Related Cough Syrups and Medicines
If you compare cough medicines, read about Acefyl cough syrup, another combination syrup that pairs a bronchodilator with diphenhydramine and helps with chesty, allergy-linked cough.
For children with allergic asthma or allergic rhinitis, doctors sometimes prescribe montelukast, which works differently from a cough syrup. See our guide to Montika sachet 4mg for how that medicine is used.
When to See a Doctor
Get medical help if you notice:
- Cough lasting more than 2 to 3 weeks
- Blood in sputum, chest pain or shortness of breath
- High or lasting fever
- Wheezing that gets worse, blue lips, or fast breathing in a child
- Cough in a newborn or infant
- A fast, irregular heartbeat or seizure after taking the syrup
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is Hydryllin syrup used for? It is used for common cough with chest or upper airway congestion, including cough linked to allergy, bronchitis and asthma, as advised by a doctor.
2. What is the formula of Hydryllin syrup? Each 5 ml of regular Hydryllin contains aminophylline 32 mg, diphenhydramine 8 mg, ammonium chloride 30 mg and menthol 0.98 mg, per the manufacturer. Check your pack.
3. Is Hydryllin syrup good for dry cough? It can help a dry, tickly cough that comes with congestion or allergy. For a purely dry, irritating cough, the DM version is designed for that.
4. What is Hydryllin DM syrup used for? It treats dry, irritating, non-productive cough, including cough from cold and allergy.
5. Is Hydryllin syrup safe in pregnancy? Use it only if your doctor decides it is clearly needed. Safety in pregnancy is not firmly established.
6. Is Hydryllin DM syrup safe in pregnancy? Data are limited, so do not use it without your doctor’s approval.
7. What are the side effects of Hydryllin syrup? Drowsiness, dry mouth, headache, blurred vision and stomach upset are the most common. Rare effects include irregular heartbeat, confusion and seizures.
8. Does Hydryllin make you sleepy? Yes. Diphenhydramine causes drowsiness, so avoid driving and alcohol.
9. Can I give Hydryllin to my child? Only on a doctor’s advice and never to children under 2 years.
10. Hydryllin syrup kis liye istemal hota hai? (Urdu answer) Hydryllin syrup seene ki jakran, balghami khansi aur allergy wali khansi me doctor ki raye se istemal hota hai. Hydryllin DM sukhi khansi ke liye hai. Dono se neend aa sakti hai, is liye gaari na chalayen aur bachon (2 saal se kam) ko na den.
11. Can I take Hydryllin and Hydryllin DM together? No. Both contain diphenhydramine, so together they give a double dose of that ingredient.
Roman Urdu Summary (Khulasa)
- Hydryllin syrup me aminophylline, diphenhydramine, ammonium chloride aur menthol hoti hai (apni pack zaroor check karen).
- Hydryllin DM me diphenhydramine aur dextromethorphan hoti hai, yeh sukhi khansi ke liye hai.
- Regular Hydryllin jakran, balghami aur allergy wali khansi me kaam aata hai.
- Dono se neend, munh ki khushki aur chakkar ho sakte hain.
- Hamal (pregnancy) aur doodh pilane ke dauran bina doctor ke istemal na karen.
- 2 saal se kam umar ke bachon ko na den.
- Khansi 2-3 hafte se zyada rahe, khoon aaye ya saans phoolay to foran doctor se rujoo karen.