Honey has long been used in folk medicine to treat various conditions. It has antibacterial properties and was widely used in ancient cultures as a wound salve. Doctors are now suggesting that these antimicrobial properties, along with honey's sweet, syrupy nature, may be the reason why it is an effective cough treatment. In a recent study of 105 children with nighttime coughs resulting from colds, researchers found that honey is more effective than the cough medicine dextromethorphan in reducing cough frequency and severity.