Evidence supporting the use of: Ivy
For the health condition: Cough (general)
Synopsis
Source of validity: Scientific
Rating (out of 5): 3
Ivy, specifically Hedera helix (common ivy), is used in many over-the-counter herbal preparations to relieve cough, particularly in Europe. The active constituents in ivy leaf include saponins, which are believed to have expectorant (mucus-loosening), bronchodilatory, and anti-inflammatory effects. Several clinical studies and meta-analyses have investigated ivy leaf extract for the treatment of acute respiratory tract infections and cough, especially in children. While some studies have shown statistically significant improvements in cough frequency and ease of expectoration compared to placebo, the overall quality of evidence is moderate, with some trials limited by small sample sizes or methodological concerns.
Systematic reviews, including one published in Phytomedicine (2015), suggest that ivy leaf extracts may be effective and safe for reducing cough symptoms and improving respiratory function, though they also note the need for larger, high-quality randomized controlled trials. Regulatory bodies such as the German Commission E and ESCOP recognize ivy leaf as a traditional herbal remedy for productive cough. The European Medicines Agency classifies ivy leaf preparations as "well-established use" for productive cough based on available clinical data. In summary, there is moderate scientific support for the use of ivy leaf extract in the treatment of cough, particularly of the productive type, though more robust and standardized research is warranted.
Other ingredients used for Cough (general)
AllspiceAloe vera
alpha-pinene
apple
Waterhyssop
bamboo
basil
benegut perilla (proprietary)
beta-pinene
black cumin
black currant
black pepper
radish
Indian frankincense
carrot
cassia bark
cat's claw
chen pi
Chinese salvia root
cinnamon
clove
cowage seed
turmeric
elderberry
fennel
garlic bulb
ginger
glehnia root
grape
Greek mountain tea
onion
green tea
heartwood
Indian tinospora
jujube
lemon
licorice root
lovage
Marshmallow
Nettle
ophiopogon root
orange
oregano
parsley
pear
perilla
phellodendron amurense
platycodon root
plum fruit
polygala root
pomegranate
pumpkin
raspberry
spearmint leaf
Sphaeranthus indicus
thyme
vitamin C
zhejiang fritillary
Zinc
sarsaparilla
boneset
Mullein
tangerine
hyssop
atractylodes
lobelia
capsicum
Indian bael
Neem tree
malabar nut
alpinia galangal
ferula assafoetida
Hedychium spicatum
inula racemosa
anise
pistacia integerrima gall
punarnava
Fumaria parviflora
prickly ash
fritillaria
lemongrass
Yerba santa
elecampane
coltsfoot
root tuber
silk tree
juniper berries
amber
dodder
sweet flag
hyacinth bean
eucalyptus
Menthol oil
peach
Abies spectabilis
horehound
soursop
Alcohol
Aralia
apple cider vinegar
Agastache
Anamarrhena
alpha-terpineol
ambergris
Ardisia
Angelica
Acacia
Agave
Allicin
anamu
Abrus
Alchornea
Asarum heterotropoides
Albizia
Aconite
asafoetida
Ajuga
andrographolide
Aerva lanata
Agarwood
Asam gelugor
arrowroot
Andrographis
Alstonia scholaris
Allyl sulfide
aspen
Adenophora
Allium tuberosum
Amor seco
Aniseed myrtle
Asarum sieboldii
Alantolactone
atractylone
black seed
bermuda grass
Bryonia
Blepharis
bayleaf
blackbrush
big quaking grass
Bougainvillea
bael
butternut
bindweed
berry
Baccharoides anthelmintica
black salt
bee products
borassus palm
Buddha\'s hand
Borassus aethiopum
borage
banana
Bassia scoparia
burning bush
balloon flower
Belamcanda
Bergenia
Boerhavia diffusa
coconut
cactus
citron
Citrus
cineole
capsaicin
Chenopodium
Cistus
common madia
cubeb
cowslip
Chaenomeles lagenaria
calamus
Coin-leaf desmodium
Cyanthillium cinereum
cinnamaldehyde
costus
Chekiang Fritillary
cola nut
Celosia
Clerodendrum indicum
culvers Root
currant
Chondrus
dragonhead
diterpenes
Desmodium
Dichrostachys glomerata
empresstree
English horsemint
Echinacea
Elder
European field elm
ephedrine
Embelia
fig
fruit
fritillary
fernbush
flavoglycosides
Glehnia littoralis
Guava
Guaco
gum
garlic
Grindelia
Gallesia
garden cress
Glycyrrhetinic acid
Galangal
Glycyrrhizin
Himalayan salt
honey
Hemidesmus
honey loquat syrup
Helicteres isora
Hempnettle
Ilex
long pepper
Ivy
Japanese kadsura
Jatoba
jungli-bean
Javanese Long Pepper
Khella
Kokilaksha
loquat
lime
Lactucarium
Lebbek
Lilium polyphyllum
linden
ligustilides
longan
luffa
Lindera
Leptadenia
Large-leaved linden
lily
Loranthus
lungwort
Ligusticum
Mentha haplocalyx
Mesua
Marjoram
Marsh Tea
Mucilage
Melia
mace
Maidenhair Fern
Meadow sage
Meadowsweet
marigold
Mucolase
Nigella seed
Night jessamine
Nymphaea nouchali
Nutmeg
Ophiopogon
Oroxylum indicum
Osha
Oldenlandia diffusa
Osmanthus
Oryza sativa
Phellodendron
Premna
Piper chaba
polymorpha
Pinellia ternata
Polypodium
Platycodon
Pepper
Paris polyphylla
Pelargonium
Pyrrosia
Piper retrofractum
pointed gourd
Polygonatum
Pimpinella
poppy
Polygala
Petiveria
Plectranthus amboinicus
rose
ravinsara
reed herb
Rhododendron
Sabadilla
Sicklepod
Stephania root
Sete sangrias
Solanaceae
Spikenard
Stemona
Southern Tsangshu
Sinigrin
Shogaol
Semecarpus anacardium
Stachytarpheta cayennensis
Sumac
Sulfated polysaccharide
Sundew
Sargassum
Sedanenolide
Terminalia
Terpenoids
Theobromine
Tea
Thymoquinone
Traveler's Joy
Thymol
Tragacanth
Tamarind
Ulmus
Visnea Mocanera
Vasicine
Vladimiria souliei
Vasicinol
Vasicinone
White Tea
Wax Gourd
Yuzu
Yerba buena
Zucchini
Zedoary
Zingerone