By Abhro Banerjee,News18

Copyright news18

The Tamil Nadu government has issued a show-cause notice to Sresan Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer of the cough syrup Coldrif, and imposed a ban on its sale after laboratory tests revealed the presence of toxic chemicals in the medicine.
According to officials, the drug control department collected samples from Batch-13 of Coldrif following an incident on October 1, during which the syrup was found to contain neurotoxic substances.
Tests confirmed that the samples contained 48% Diethylene Glycol (DEG) and Ethylene Glycol (EG), both industrial solvents that are highly toxic and can cause severe health complications.
Authorities said the contamination likely occurred due to the failure to test the quality of propylene glycol, a solvent used in the formulation process. Both DEG and EG are by-products of propylene glycol, and improper purification or testing can result in contamination.
Sresan Pharmaceuticals, which supplies medicines to state governments and private procurement agencies, has now been directed to halt production and distribution of the product. The manufacturing unit has been sealed, and officials have confirmed that Coldrif bottles have been removed from shelves across Tamil Nadu.
A senior Drug Control official said the company has been asked to respond to the show-cause notice, explaining lapses in its quality assurance process and the failure to prevent contamination.
Further investigation is underway to determine how the toxic compounds entered the production line.