Decongestants and/or antihistamines are the principal ingredients in “cold” remedies, but drying agents, aspirin (or aspirin substitutes) and cough suppressants may also be added. Choose the remedy with ingredients best suited to combat your own symptoms. If the label does not clearly state the ingredients and their functions, ask the pharmacist to explain them. Some novel treatments such as zinc, megadose vitamin C, echinacea pills, and nasal gel (Zicam®) have been introduced, but they still lack scientific proof of effectiveness.