{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,11]],"date-time":"2026-05-11T13:00:23Z","timestamp":1778504423302,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":59,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,1,31]],"date-time":"2024-01-31T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1706659200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Pharmaceuticals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Over-the-counter medicines are intended to influence a number of symptoms and also to cure some human diseases without having to see the doctor. These medicines are used for self-medication and parents also give them to their children. The following fall within the scope of over-the-counter medicines: analgesics, antipyretics, antihistamines, decongestants, gastroprotectors, anti-cough medicines, and others. Their composition also includes one or a combination of medicinal plants. In addition to synthetic substances, some nonprescription medicines contain plant substances and their derivatives. Medicinal plants and their extracted derivatives are applicable in the therapies of a number of diseases. Considering the fact that over-the-counter medicines can be used among children from birth, the subject of our study is those whose composition includes biologically active plant substances. Within this study, we have established the number of nonprescription medicines containing a plant substance individually or in combination with another substance of the same kind and\/or other substances, which have been included in a list published on the website of the Bulgarian Drug Agency. The objective of our study is to present the percentage of OTC medicines containing a plant substance intended to affect the symptoms of upper respiratory tract diseases and pain, which are used among children during different periods of their development. Some of these medicines also contain substances such as antihistamines (pheniramine maleate) and decongestants (pseudoephedrine, phenylephrine hydrochloride, dimetidine) that can cause various unwanted side effects. Considering the aforementioned aspects and also the peculiarities of childhood, we recommend that self-treatment be conducted only after consulting a health specialist.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ph17020192","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,1,31]],"date-time":"2024-01-31T09:41:59Z","timestamp":1706694119000},"page":"192","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Proportion of Over-The-Counter Medicines Containing a Plant Component and Those with Synthetic Substances Administered among Children in a Bulgarian Population"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"17","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8675-5695","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Bozhidarka","family":"Hadzhieva","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Medical College, Medical University of Plovdiv, 15a Vasil Aprilov Blvd., 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6938-1054","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Valentina","family":"Petkova-Dimitrova","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Social Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Sofia, 2 Dunav St., 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,1,31]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.4103\/0973-7847.95849","article-title":"Historical review of medicinal plants usage","volume":"6","author":"Petrovska","year":"2012","journal-title":"Pharmacogn. 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