Asthma in children - Ivy extract helps

Asthma in children - Ivy extract helps to breathe deeply

04/11/2014

One of the most common chronic childhood diseases. bronchial asthma. Almost ten percent of all girls and boys are affected by this almost allergic-type condition in children. According to a recent study, they can help with proven therapies and medicines as well as with plant medicine.

Hippocrates already knew that the pentagonal leaves of the ivy contain medicinal active ingredients. He recommended the wintergreen plant for gastrointestinal problems and headaches. Today, ivy is of particular importance in ear, nose and throat medicine. The dry extract of ivy leaves is a proven cough medicine. Both its mucus and bronchial dilating effects as well as its tolerability and safety have been described in several studies. Now, a placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind crossover study by the Dresden University of Technology indicates that the ivy can do even more - namely positively influence the lung function of asthma patients.

This was the conclusion of a team led by the pediatric pulmonologist. Christian Vogelberg from the University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus in a study with 24 small asthma patients. Children between the ages of six and twelve all inhaled corticosteroid solutions on a daily basis because of their persistent asthma, but were still not completely symptom free. Now, in addition to inhalation, they were given a juice every day. In one half of the children this was an ineffective placebo, the other children swallowed a cough syrup with ivy leaf dry extract. After four weeks of taking time and a reasonable break for the degradation of the drug was one „crossover“ Now: the second group got placebo juice and the first drug with plant extract. At the same time daily individual health was recorded.

The review of lung parameters and quality of life assessment after each experimental and final phase left little doubt and encourages further, even more comprehensive studies: Small asthma patients on inhaled corticosteroid therapy may benefit from additional treatment with ivy leaf dry extract. (Pm)

Picture: Anja Schweppe-Rahe