Evidence supporting the use of: Acacia
For the health condition: Cough (spastic)

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Synopsis

Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 2

Acacia, particularly Acacia senegal (gum arabic), has a long history of use in traditional medicine systems for soothing irritated mucous membranes, including those of the respiratory tract. Traditionally, it has been used as a demulcent, meaning it forms a soothing film over mucous membranes, which can help relieve minor pain and inflammation of the mouth, throat, and occasionally, cough. Historical records from herbal medicine texts and pharmacopeias indicate its application for coughs, especially dry and spastic (irritative) coughs, due to its mucilage content that helps coat and calm the throat.

However, scientific validation for acacia’s efficacy in treating cough is limited. Most modern studies focus on its use as a food additive or for other medicinal properties, such as cholesterol reduction or prebiotic effects. There are few, if any, high-quality clinical trials directly investigating acacia gum for cough relief. The demulcent effect is recognized pharmacologically, but the translation to meaningful clinical benefit for cough is not robustly studied or confirmed. As such, its use for cough remains primarily justified by traditional knowledge rather than strong scientific evidence.

In summary, acacia is traditionally used to soothe sore throats and calm coughs through its demulcent action, but scientific evidence supporting its efficacy for spastic cough is minimal.

More about acacia
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Products containing acacia

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