I volunteer, for the chocolate trial! ::

What fine scientists are Omar S. Usmani, Maria G. Belvisi, Hema J. Patel, Natascia Crispino, Mark A. Birrell, Márta Korbonits, Dezso Korbonits, and Peter J. Barnes, their paper "Theobromine inhibits sensory nerve activation and cough" in The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Journal is a scientific marvel.

The paper itself is only available to subscribers, but the Guardian report seems to reflect the abstract. Chocolate is an effective cough medicine!

A chemical compound, theobromine, which is found in cocoa, has proved more effective at stopping persistent coughing than codeine.

Yum!

However there is both - as they say - good news and bad news. The "bad" news is:

Tests have so far involved only 10 people and larger studies are needed, according to a team from Imperial College and the Royal Brompton and St Bartholomew's hospitals in London and a Hungarian company. They described their work in an online journal published by the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.

But the good news is:

Doses used in the tests were equivalent to a 50g bar of dark chocolate, but the researchers said bigger doses might be more effective.

I volunteer! Pick me! I have a bad cough at the moment, it's persistent - as long as the pollen weather lasts. Next time I'm at the shops, I might try self medicating... ¶ 9:10 AM [to Del.icio.us]

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