amber
Sodium Benzoate
Implicated in childhood hyperactivity studies and reported MCAS trigger.
Low Tox Gear · Scanner
Vicks Dry & Chesty Cough Syrup Xtra Strong Blocked Nose Relief 200mL
Is Vicks Dry & Chesty Cough Syrup Xtra Strong Blocked Nose Relief 200mL low tox? Our scanner flagged 1 ingredient (1 in the caution tier) on its published label, screened against our 237 source-cited chemical rules.
1 caution
1 ingredient flagged
What we flagged
Full ingredients (from label)
Each 10mL of syrup contains:Ocimum sanctum (Holy basil) dry herb extract 12.5 mgfrom 100 mg dry herbGlycyrrhiza glabra (Liquorice) dry root extract 12 mgfrom 60 mg dry rootCurcuma longa (Turmeric) dry rhizome extract 5 mgfrom 50 mg dry rhizomeZingiber officinale (Ginger) dry rhizome extract 5 mgfrom 50 mg dry rhizomePiper cubeba (Tailed pepper) dry fruit extract 0.83 mgfrom 10 mg dry fruitAloe barbadensis (Aloe vera) dry leaf extract 12.5 mgfrom 50 mg dry leafHoney 400 mgLevomenthol 6 mg. Contains sugarssorbic acidsodium benzoate and hydroxybenzoates. Read ingredients carefully and avoid use if known sensitivity to menthol or any of the ingredients. In rare casesCurcumin species may harm the liver. Stop use and see a doctor if you have yellowing skin/eyes or unusual fatiguenauseaappetite lossabdominal paindark urineor itching.
How this analysis is generated
Each ingredient on this product's published label is matched against our 237 source-cited chemical rules, each documenting a concern from peer-reviewed research and regulatory sources. Severity tiers:
- Avoid (red) — banned or restricted in the EU, UK or Canada but still legal in the US, IARC-listed, or strong contact-allergen evidence.
- Caution (amber) — regulatory caution, contamination risk, or condition-specific irritant.
- Mild (green) — low concern but commonly avoided in low-tox formulations.
Each flag links to its primary chemical-level source, and each condition pill links to a PubMed-indexed paper that discusses the chemical class in the context of that condition. Every citation is a real peer-reviewed paper — we don't link to Wikipedia or PubMed search pages. Some pairs use a topically-broad paper (e.g. a fragrance-allergen patch-test review) rather than a single-pair study where the literature is thin. The full evidence chain (chemical → mechanism → condition → paper) is one click away.
This is automated analysis of a published label, not medical advice — always verify the label yourself before changing products. Methodology and source list at scan.lowtoxgear.com.