What do you call a drug that helps break up mucus and promotes coughing?

The term for a drug that helps break up mucus and promotes coughing is "expectorant." Expectorants work by thinning and loosening mucus in the airways, which helps clear the mucus from the respiratory tract more effectively. By reducing the viscosity of mucus, expectorants make it easier to cough up, enhancing the body’s natural ability to expel mucus during respiratory illnesses.

In contrast, antitussives are medications that suppress coughing, which is the opposite of what expectorants do. Decongestants work by reducing swelling and congestion in the nasal passages but do not directly aid in mucus clearance. Antihistamines are primarily used to relieve allergy symptoms and may actually thicken mucus in some cases, making it more difficult to expel.