English Ivy
OTHER NAME(S): Common Ivy, Gum Ivy, Hederae Helicis Folium, Herbes à Cors, Hiedra Común, Ivy, Lierre, Lierre Commun, Lierre Grimpant, True Ivy, Woodbind, Hedera helix, Hedera taurica, Hiedra Inglesa, Lierre grimpant
Overview
English ivy (Hedera helix) is an evergreen, climbing vine native to Europe and Asia. The leaves are sometimes used to make extracts for medicine.
English ivy might help thin mucus in the airways. This might improve lung function in people with breathing difficulty. English ivy might also have antioxidant effects.
People use English ivy for bronchitis, burns, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and many other purposes, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.
Uses
We currently have no information for English Ivy overview.
Side Effects
When taken by mouth: Specific cough syrups (Prospan; Prospanex) containing English ivy leaf extract are possibly safe when used three times daily for up to 7 days.
When applied to the skin: There isn't enough reliable information to know if English ivy is safe. It might cause side effects such as allergic skin reactions.
Precautions
When taken by mouth: Specific cough syrups (Prospan; Prospanex) containing English ivy leaf extract are possibly safe when used three times daily for up to 7 days.
When applied to the skin: There isn't enough reliable information to know if English ivy is safe. It might cause side effects such as allergic skin reactions.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There isn't enough reliable information to know if English ivy is safe to use when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.
Children: Specific cough syrups (Prospan; Prospanex) containing English ivy leaf extract are possibly safe when taken by mouth three times daily for up to 7 days.
Interactions
Moderate Interaction
Be cautious with this combination
- Medications changed by the liver (Cytochrome P450 2C19 (CYP2C19) substrates) interacts with English IvySome medications are changed and broken down by the liver. English ivy might change how quickly the liver breaks down these medications. This could change the effects and side effects of these medications.
- Medications changed by the liver (Cytochrome P450 2C8 (CYP2C8) substrates) interacts with English IvySome medications are changed and broken down by the liver. English ivy might change how quickly the liver breaks down these medications. This could change the effects and side effects of these medications.
- Medications changed by the liver (Cytochrome P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) substrates) interacts with English IvySome medications are changed and broken down by the liver. English ivy might change how quickly the liver breaks down these medications. This could change the effects and side effects of these medications.
Dosing
Dried English ivy leaf has most often been used by adults in doses of 300-800 mg by mouth daily. Specific English ivy leaf extract products have also been used. Speak with a healthcare provider to find out what type of product and dose might be best for a specific condition.
References
- Blumenthal M, ed. The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Trans. S. Klein. Boston, MA: American Botanical Council, 1998.
- Schulz V, Hansel R, Tyler VE. Rational Phytotherapy: A Physician's Guide to Herbal Medicine. Terry C. Telger, transl. 3rd ed. Berlin, GER: Springer, 1998.
- Gruenwald J, Brendler T, Jaenicke C. PDR for Herbal Medicines. 1st ed. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, Inc., 1998.
- Amara-Mokrane YA, Lehucher-Michel MP, Balansard G, et al. Protective effects of alpha-hederin, chlorophyllin and ascorbic acid towards the induction of micronuclei by doxorubicin in cultured human lymphocytes. Mutagenesis 1996;11:161-7.
- Gulyas A, Repges R, Dethlefsen U. Therapy of chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases in children (Translation). Atemvegs und Lungenkrankheiten 1997;23:291-4.
- Fazio S, Pouso J, Dolinsky D, et al. Tolerance, safety and efficacy of Hedera helix extract in inflammatory bronchial diseases under clinical practice conditions: a prospective, open, multicentre postmarketing study in 9657 patients. Phytomedicine 2009;16(1):17-24.
- Gulcin I, Mshvildadze V, Gepdiremen A, Elias R. Antioxidant activity of saponins isolated from ivy: alpha-hederin, hederasaponin-C, hederacolchiside-E and hederacolchiside-F. Planta Med 2004;70(6):561-563.
- Gaillard Y, Blaise P, Darre A, Barbier T, Pepin G. An unusual case of death: suffocation caused by leaves of common ivy (Hedera helix). Detection of hederacoside C, alpha-hederin, and hederagenin by LC-EI/MS-MS. J Anal Toxicol 2003;27(4):257-262.
- García M, Fernández E, Navarro JA, et al. Allergic contact dermatitis from Hedera helix L. Contact Dermatitis 1995;33(2):133-4.
- Hausen BM, Brohan J, Konig WA, et al. Allergic and irritant contact dermatitis from falcarinol and didehydrofalcarinol in common ivy (Hedera helix L.). Contact Dermatitis 1987;17(1):1-9.
- Mitchell, J. C. Allergic contact dermatitis from Hedera helix and Brassaia actinophylla (Araliaceae). Contact Dermatitis 1981;7(3):158-159.
- Boyle J, Harman RM. Contact dermatitis to Hedera helix (common ivy). Contact Dermatitis 1985;12(2):111-112.
- Kemmerich, B., Eberhardt, R., and Stammer, H. Efficacy and tolerability of a fluid extract combination of thyme herb and ivy leaves and matched placebo in adults suffering from acute bronchitis with productive cough. A prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Arzneimittelforschung. 2006;56(9):652-660.
- Marzian, O. [Treatment of acute bronchitis in children and adolescents. Non-interventional postmarketing surveillance study confirms the benefit and safety of a syrup made of extracts from thyme and ivy leaves]. MMW.Fortschr.Med 6-28-2007;149(27-28 Suppl):69-74.
- Yesudian PD, Franks A. Contact dermatitis from Hedera helix in a husband and wife. Contact Dermatitis 2002;46(2):125-126.
- Bregnbak D, Menné T, Johansen JD. Airborne contact dermatitis caused by common ivy (Hedera helix L. ssp. helix). Contact Dermatitis. 2015;72(4):243-4.
- Hocaoglu AB, Karaman O, Erge DO, et al. Effect of Hedera helix on lung histopathology in chronic asthma. Iran J Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2012;11(4):316-23.
- Jones JM, White IR, White JM, McFadden JP. Allergic contact dermatitis to English ivy (Hedera helix)--a case series. Contact Dermatitis. 2009 Mar;60(3):179-80.
- Lurquin E, Swinnen I, Goossens A. Allergic contact dermatitis caused by Hedera helix arborescens and not by Hedera helix L. Contact Dermatitis. 2012;66(6):352-3.
- Paulsen E, Christensen LP, Andersen KE. Dermatitis from common ivy (Hedera helix L. subsp. helix) in Europe: past, present, and future. Contact Dermatitis. 2010;62(4):201-9.
- Rehman SU, Kim IS, Choi MS, Kim SH, Zhang Y, Yoo HH. Time-dependent Inhibition of CYP2C8 and CYP2C19 by Hedera helix Extracts, A Traditional Respiratory Herbal Medicine. Molecules. 2017;22(7).
- Kruttschnitt E, Wegener T, Zahner C, Henzen-Bücking S. Assessment of the Efficacy and Safety of Ivy Leaf (Hedera helix) Cough Syrup Compared with Acetylcysteine in Adults and Children with Acute Bronchitis. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2020 May 4;2020:1910656.
- Saeed Khan S, Adil A, Naeem S, et al. Evaluation of Acute and Chronic Antidiabetic Activity of Ivy (Hedera helix L.) Aqueous Leaf Extract in Rat Model. Pak J Biol Sci. 2020 Jan;23(11):1357-1368.
- Kardos P, Bittner CB, Seibel J, Abramov-Sommariva D, Birring SS. Effectiveness and tolerability of the thyme/ivy herbal fluid extract BNO 1200 for the treatment of acute cough: an observational pharmacy-based study. Curr Med Res Opin 2021;37(10):1837-1844.
- Alkattan A, Alameer R, Alsalameen E, et al. Safety of English ivy (Hedera helix) leaf extract during pregnancy: retrospective cohort study. Daru 2021;29(2):493-499.
- Shokry AA, El-Shiekh RA, Kamel G, Bakr AF, Sabry D, Ramadan A. Anti-arthritic activity of the flavonoids fraction of ivy leaves (Hedera helix L.) standardized extract in adjuvant induced arthritis model in rats in relation to its metabolite profile using LC/MS. Biomed Pharmacother 2022;145:112456.