Ivy leaf's therapeutic uses
Ivy leaf, derived from the climbing plant Hedera algeriensis, has a longstanding reputation in traditional medicine for its therapeutic applications, particularly in respiratory health. It is primarily used as an expectorant, aimed at alleviating symptoms associated with asthma, acute and chronic bronchitis, colds, and flu. While some studies suggest modest improvements in asthma symptoms and respiratory conditions when using ivy leaf extract, the overall evidence regarding its efficacy remains limited, with many advocating for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties instead.
Additionally, ivy leaf has been explored for its antimicrobial effects, showing potential in killing certain bacteria and promoting wound healing. Despite its benefits, safety concerns exist, particularly for pregnant women and individuals with severe liver or kidney issues, as it may lead to nausea or allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. Overall, ivy leaf is a herb embraced by many for its various proposed health benefits, although users should approach it with caution and awareness of its limitations.
Ivy leaf's therapeutic uses
- DEFINITION: Natural plant product used to treat specific health conditions.
- PRINCIPAL PROPOSED USE: Asthma
- OTHER PROPOSED USES: Acute bronchitis, chronic bronchitis, colds, cough, influenza, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, wound healing
Overview
The climbing ivy that adorns the sides of buildings has a long history of traditional medicinal use. Herbalists used ivy for such disparate conditions as arthritis, bronchitis, dysentery, and whooping cough. Topical applications of the herb were used for skin problems such as lice, eczema, and sunburn.
Therapeutic Dosages
A typical dose of standardized ivy leaf extract is twenty-five drops twice daily in children, or fifty or more drops twice daily in adults.
Therapeutic Uses
Ivy leaf is one of many herbs used in Europe as an expectorant, a substance said to thin mucus and thereby loosen coughs. (In the United States, the herbal product guaifenesin takes this role in almost all over-the-counter cough formulas.) Germany’s Commission E has approved ivy leaf to treat mucus in the respiratory passages. On this basis, ivy leaf is often recommended for asthma, acute bronchitis, chronic bronchitis, colds and flu, and other respiratory problems such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). However, there is almost no evidence that ivy leaf (or any other expectorant) offers meaningful benefits.
In one double-blind, placebo-controlled study of ivy leaf, a total of twenty-four children with asthma received either placebo or ivy leaf extract twice a day for three days. The results showed modest improvement in asthma symptoms as measured by formal testing. While a large study of thousands of children who were given ivy leaf to help with cough produced favorable results, in a 2020 European clinical study, researchers found ivy leaf was safe to use but provided minimal benefit at best. Still, many believe ivy leaf produces noticeable anti-inflammatory results.
Other studies on ivy leaf compared various forms of the product to each other and thereby do not prove anything about efficacy. One double-blind study found ivy leaf just as effective as the expectorant drug ambroxol for chronic bronchitis; however, this study proves little because ambroxol itself has not been proven effective. Still, multiple studies in the twenty-first century indicate that ivy leaf, or ivy lead in combination with another herb or supplement, did prove effective in reducing the symptoms associated with respiratory issues.
Other proposed therapeutic uses for ivy leaf include its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which may protect against free radicals, which can lead to chronic health conditions. In laboratory studies, the antimicrobial properties of ivy leaf have been shown to kill certain bacteria. Ivy leaf’s antimicrobial and inflammatory properties have also indicated that it may be useful in healing wounds.
Safety Issues
Fairly extensive monitoring indicates that ivy leaf rarely causes any noticeable side effects. Nausea and vomiting are possible with excessive doses or in very susceptible people. Allergic reactions to ivy leaf are also a risk. Ivy leaf is not recommended during pregnancy because of its emetine content. Safety in pregnant or nursing women, young children, or people with severe liver or kidney disease has not been established.
Bibliography
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Han, K. I., et al. "Efficacy and Safety of Mixture of Ivy Leaf Extract and Coptidis Rhizome in the Treatment of Acute Bronchitis: Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blinded, Active-Controlled, Parallel, Therapeutic Confirmatory Clinical Trial." Current Medical Research and Opinion, vol. 40, no. 7, 2024, pp. 1235-1243, doi.org/10.1080/03007995.2024.2362273. Accessed 23 Sept. 2024.
Hofmann, D., et al. "Efficacy of Dry Extract of Ivy Leaves in Children with Bronchial Asthma." Phytomedicine, vol. 10, 2003, pp. 213-220.
Houtmeyers, E., et al. "Effects of Drugs on Mucus Clearance." European Respiratory Journal, vol. 14, 1999, pp. 452-467.
Sierocinski, Elizabeth, et al. "Ivy Leaf (Hedera Helix) for Acute Upper Respiratory Tract Infections: An Updated Systematic Review." European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, vol. 77, no. 8, 2020, pp. 1113-1122, doi.org/10.1007/s00228-021-03090-4. Accessed 21 Aug. 2023.
Völp, Andreas, et al. "Ivy Leaves Extract EA 575 in the Treatment of Cough during Acute Respiratory Tract Infections: Meta-analysis of Double-blind, Randomized, Placebo-controlled Trials." Scientific Reports, vol. 12, no. 1, 2022, pp. 1-10, doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-24393-1. Accessed 23 Sept. 2024.
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