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Ivy

Ivy is a plant whose leaves are used to make medicine. Ivy is most commonly used in the form of extracts and, in rare cases, as a prepared tea. Ivy is used for disorders of the liver, spleen and gallbladder, as well as for muscle spasms, gout, rheumatic joint pain, chronic bronchitis and tuberculosis. It is also used to reduce swelling of the membranes of the respiratory tract and as an expectorant for blocked airways. Some people apply ivy directly to the skin for burns, calluses, cellulite, swelling, nerve pain, parasitic infections, skin ulcers, rheumatic joint pain and swollen veins.

How does ivy work?

Ivy appears to be able to clear airway blockages and relieve muscle spasms. It also appears to help children with chronic bronchitis to breathe.

How effective is ivy?

Ivy may be effective for chronic bronchitis. There is evidence that taking an ivy extract may help improve lung function in children with chronic bronchitis. There is insufficient scientific data to assess the effectiveness of ivy for coughs, cramps, gout, rheumatic joint pain, liver disease, spleen disease, gallbladder disease, burns, nerve pain, ulcers and calluses. Further scientific research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of ivy in these applications.

Safety and side effects

Ivy taken orally appears to be safe and harmless for most adults, but may have a bitter taste. There is not enough information to assess whether it is safe and harmless to apply ivy directly to the skin. Fresh ivy leaves can irritate the skin.

Precautions and warnings

Pregnancy and breastfeeding: Not enough is known about the use of ivy during pregnancy and breastfeeding. For this reason, pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid ivy.

Interactions

At this time, there is no information on interactions of ivy with medications or supplements.

Dosage

The following dosages have been investigated in scientific studies:

Oral:

  • For chronic obstructive bronchitis in children: 35 mg of an extract of dried ivy leaves three times a day or 14 mg of an alcohol-based extract of ivy leaves three times a day.

References

  1. Gulyas A, Repges R, Dethlefsen U. Therapy of chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases in children (Translation). Respiratory and Pulmonary Diseases 1997;23:291-4.