Why to NOT use it for ferrets or for human infants:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=Ferret%20vaporub

Quote:

Chest. 2009 Jan;135(1):143-8. doi: 10.1378/chest.08-0095.

Vicks VapoRub induces mucin secretion, decreases ciliary beat
frequency, and increases tracheal mucus transport in the ferret
trachea.

Abanses JC, Arima S, Rubin BK.
Source
Department of Pediatrics, Wake Forest University School of Medicine,
Winston-Salem, NC 27157-1081, USA.

Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Vicks VapoRub (VVR) [Proctor and Gamble; Cincinnati, OH] is often used
to relieve symptoms of chest congestion. We cared for a toddler in whom
severe respiratory distress developed after VVR was applied directly
under her nose. We hypothesized that VVR induced inflammation and
adversely affected mucociliary function, and tested this hypothesis in
an animal model of airway inflammation.
METHODS:
[1] Trachea specimens excised from 15 healthy ferrets were incubated in
culture plates lined with 200 mg of VVR, and the mucin secretion was
compared to those from controls without VVR. Tracheal mucociliary
transport velocity (MCTV) was measured by timing the movement of 4
microL of mucus across the trachea. Ciliary beat frequency (CBF) was
measured using video microscopy. [2] Anesthetized and intubated ferrets
inhaled a placebo or VVR that was placed at the proximal end of the
endotracheal tube. We evaluated both healthy ferrets and animals in
which we first induced tracheal inflammation with bacterial endotoxin
(a lipopolysaccharide [LPS]). Mucin secretion was measured using an
enzyme-linked lectin assay, and lung water was measured by wet/dry
weight ratios.
RESULTS:
[1] Mucin secretion was increased by 63% over the controls in the VVR
in vitro group (p < 0.01). CBF was decreased by 35% (p < 0.05) in the
VVR group. [2] Neither LPS nor VVR increased lung water, but LPS
decreased MCTV in both normal airways (31%) and VVR-exposed airways
(30%; p = 0.03), and VVR increased MCTV by 34% in LPS-inflamed airways
(p = 0.002).
CONCLUSIONS:
VVR stimulates mucin secretion and MCTV in the LPS-inflamed ferret
airway. This set of findings is similar to the acute inflammatory
stimulation observed with exposure to irritants, and may lead to
mucus obstruction of small airways and increased nasal resistance.

Comment in Vicks VapoRub study: incomplete case report and misleading
publicity. [Chest. 2009]
PMID: 19136404 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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