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Ivy (English ivy)
Hedera helix
This page contains information on ivy and how it is used as a herb in alternative herbal treatments to treat ailments and problems, such as coughs, spastic bronchitis, chronic catarrh of the respiratory tract and for increasing circulation. It is also used for toxic water retentive problems such as cellulite.
On this page
Please note that we are not advocating that people stop using their normal medication, but would like to make people aware that some alternative therapies can be very effective to help treat problems and create a healthier, younger and more vital you. For more information on our range of products, please click here.
Although we believe in the therapeutic and healing properties of herbs, care must be taken in the use thereof, as they are powerful compounds.
Family |
Araliaceae |
Genus and specie |
Hedera helix |
English ivy.
Ivy is a well-known creeper, which clings to surfaces by its adventitious roots. It
has yellow-green flowers, which bloom from August to October and are followed by berries.
The leaves and woody stems can be used.
It has a nauseating taste and is bitter, while the leaves smell quite pleasant and are used for their antibacterial
properties. It lowers fever, is expectorant, constricts veins and relaxes spasms.
It contains bidesmosidic saponins of oleanolic acid, hederagenin and bayogenin (hederasaponins), phenolics and polyacetylenes (falcarinone and 11-dehydrofalcarinol).
- Internal use
- Ivy is used internally for gout, rheumatic pain, whooping cough and bronchitis.
- External use
- Extracts of the wood are mostly used in cosmetics and for external use, and for treating burns, warts, impetigo, skin eruptions, neuralgia, swollen joints, toothache and cellulite.
- Ivy has topical anti-fungal, anthelmintic, molluscicidal, anti-mutagenic, as well as cellulite control properties.
- Topical applications of ivy-based products are often used in anti-cellulite and weight loss preparations.
- It has emollient and itch-relieving properties, as well as anti-inflammatory and pain killing actions - provided by the saponins and flavonoids.
- Its other major topical action is that of a circulatory compound, which helps other ingredients to be absorbed by the skin, as well as assisting with the removal of waste products from the skin.
- Aromatherapy and essential oil use
Excess internal use can destroy red blood cells and causes irritability, diarrhea and vomiting.
The internal use of this herb is best left to qualified medical practitioners only.
Fresh plant material can be an allergen and may irritate the skin.
To promote the interest and use of herbs and natural complementary health alternatives, we have included information on the following herbs.
Please note - although we discuss a wide variety of herbs, not all of them are used or sold by us.
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You are as young as your faith, as old as your fear and as long as your heart receives messages of beauty, cheer,
courage, grandeur, and power - from the earth, from man and from the Infinite - so long will you stay
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