The products—one manufactured by LV Life Sciences, Himachal Pradesh, and C & C-LS, produced by Ethidrus Research Lab, Puducherry (Batch No. CSL-129)—failed description and assay tests. The findings come amid heightened scrutiny of cough syrups following the recent deaths of children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan linked to contaminated formulations.
Published Oct 05, 2025 | 5:50 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 05, 2025 | 5:50 PM
Doctors advice consulting with a paediatrician before giving a child any medication. (Creative Commons)
Synopsis: The CDSCO has declared two cough syrups sold in Karnataka—manufactured by LV Life Sciences, Himachal Pradesh, and Ethidrus Research Lab, Puducherry—as Not of Standard Quality in its August 2025 alert, after they failed description and assay tests. The alert follows recent incidents in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, where contaminated cough syrups were linked to child deaths, prompting nationwide scrutiny and advisories against the use of such medicines in young children.
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has listed two brands of cough syrup being sold in Karnataka as Not of Standard Quality (NSQ) in its August 2025 alert. The products—one manufactured by LV Life Sciences, Himachal Pradesh, and C & C-LS, produced by Ethidrus Research Lab, Puducherry (Batch No. CSL-129)—failed description and assay tests, according to the regulator.
The NSQ list serves as an official alert to healthcare providers and the public about medicines that do not meet prescribed quality standards.
State drug control authorities are required to take immediate action, including the recall of substandard batches, inspection of manufacturing facilities, and enforcement measures against the manufacturers concerned.
The findings come amid heightened scrutiny of cough syrups following the recent deaths of children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan linked to contaminated formulations.
Health authorities in Kerala and Telangana recently took swift action against Coldrif Syrup after at least nine children died in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, allegedly due to consumption of cough syrup adulterated with diethylene glycol (DEG), a toxic industrial solvent.
Following these incidents, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) issued a nationwide advisory cautioning against the use of cough and cold medications in children under two years of age, noting that these are “generally not recommended for ages below 5.”
The LV Life Sciences formulation that failed quality tests is a combination medication used to treat cough associated with respiratory conditions such as bronchitis, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
It contains four active ingredients: Ambroxol, a mucolytic agent that thins and loosens mucus, making it easier to cough up; Terbutaline, a bronchodilator that relaxes the muscles in the airways and improves breathing; Guaiphenesin, an expectorant that helps clear mucus from the respiratory tract; and Menthol, which provides a cooling sensation and soothes throat irritation.
The failure in description and assay tests for Ambroxol Hydrochloride indicates that the syrup did not meet the required specifications for this key ingredient, either in its physical characteristics or in the amount of the active component present in the formulation.
The C & C-LS Cough Syrup from Ethidrus Research Lab is designed to relieve cough accompanied by mucus and breathing difficulties.
It combines three active ingredients: Ambroxol Hydrochloride, which helps break down thick mucus; Guaiphenesin, an expectorant that promotes mucus clearance; and Levosalbutamol, a bronchodilator used to relieve asthma and bronchospasm.
The syrup’s failure in description tests suggests it did not meet the required physical or chemical characteristics as specified under pharmacopoeial standards.
A third cough-related medication—Codeine Phosphate Syrup IP 15 mg/5 ml, manufactured by Om Biomedic Pvt Ltd, Uttarakhand (Batch No. LE24-57)—failed assay tests at the Drugs Testing Laboratory in Shillong, Meghalaya.
This syrup is used to treat dry, persistent cough and contains codeine, an opioid that suppresses the cough reflex in the brain. Being a controlled substance, it carries a potential risk of dependence and abuse.
The August NSQ list also identified two other commonly used medicines as substandard.
Paracetamol Oral Suspension, manufactured by Maxtra Laboratories, Telangana (Batch No. MXS.9119), failed due to incorrect labelling at the Drug Testing Laboratory in Puducherry.
The suspension is widely used to reduce fever and relieve mild to moderate pain, including headaches, body aches, and toothaches, in both children and adults.
Amoxycillin & Potassium Clavulanate Oral Suspension IP, produced by Life Gem Medi Healthcare, Uttarakhand (Batch No. LBL2507001), failed pH and assay tests at the Regional Drugs Testing Laboratory in Chandigarh.
This antibiotic combination is prescribed for bacterial infections, including respiratory tract, ear, urinary, skin, and sinus infections.
It combines Amoxycillin, a penicillin-type antibiotic, with Clavulanate, a beta-lactamase inhibitor that helps prevent antibiotic resistance.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
