For simple chest infections most of the chemists sold innocuous cough mixtures, lozenges or decongestants.

BBC: Holidaymakers 'get wrong medicines'

Over-the-counter nasal decongestants act by stimulating receptors in nasal passages called alpha-1 adrenergic receptors.

FORBES: Do Pseudoephedrine Sales Predict the Number of Meth Labs in Your Community?

Nonprescription decongestants and pain relievers offer some symptom relief, but they won't prevent a cold or shorten its duration, and most have some side effects.

CNN: Cold remedies: What works, what doesn't, what can't hurt

When her sinuses gave her trouble, she didn't want to take oral decongestants or nasal sprays because she feared they could be harmful to her baby.

CNN: Why people swear by the neti pot

Nasal spray decongestants are more effective than oral decongestants.

CNN: What can I do for my chronic sinusitis?

In discussing this paper in October, I expressed my concerns that any resulting efforts to make pseudoephedrine a prescription product would further restrict one of the remaining useful decongestants from legitimate sale to consumers.

FORBES: Acura Pharmaceuticals Launches Meth-Resistant Pseudoephedrine, Nexafed

For mild, occasional snoring, treatment may be as simple as sleeping on one's side, adding extra pillows, using an adhesive strip over the nose, or every now and then trying oral or nasal decongestants or antihistamines as recommended by your physician.

CNN: How can someone stop or reduce snoring?

Laurent Faracci, chief strategy and marketing officer of Reckitt Benckiser USA, said the company can get its newly acquired brands like Airborne and MegaRed supplements into more drugstores and mass-retail channels where it already sells products like Lysol disinfectants and Mucinex decongestants.

WSJ: Vitamins Become Growing Business for Consumer-Product Companies