This effect has ivy on health

Ivy (Hedera helix) was already used in ancient times, primarily as a painkiller. In addition, the evergreen plant was considered a symbol of life and in art as a plant of the muses – poets crowned with ivy bear witness to this. In 2010, ivy was named medicinal plant of the year. Everyone knows the ivy that climbs walls and trees with its strong shoots or creeps along the forest floor. It isn’t deterred by gloomy concrete any more than the dark winter months – and its yellow to dark green foliage dabs a bit of color into the gray everywhere. Its healing properties, on the other hand, are less well known. This meaning is most familiar to parents who give their offspring ivy juice against coughing attacks during the cold season.

effects of ivy

In ancient times, leaves, fruits and roots of ivy were used internally and externally to treat ear, headache and toothache,  gout , spleen problems and  menstrual problems, lung diseases, fever and burns. Today, the healing extract from its leaves is used. Its effectiveness has now also been proven by studies. The ivy owes its healing power to the so-called saponins, which get their name from the fact that they can form soap-like foam (lat. Sapo = soap). They liquefy and loosen the mucus, but also have an antispasmodic and germ-destroying effect. Ivy is therefore used for acute and chronic inflammation and diseases of the respiratory tract and for whooping cough. Ivy is also used in homeopathy. By the way: The saponins are also contained in liquorice and cowslip – which is why they are often added to cold teas.

Risks of ivy

However, ivy not only has healing effects, but also a downside: Fresh leaves and their juice can cause allergic reactions on the skin. In addition, the  berry fruits  of the plant are poisonous, especially for children. Their consumption can cause  nausea ,  diarrhea  and vomiting. For this reason, ivy should only be used in the ready-made form from the pharmacy.

ivy in history

It is not clear where the ivy got its German name from. Presumably the first part goes back to an old word root like “ebah” or “ifig” which means “climber”. The second part of the word was probably formed from “hay”, a term that also means “leaves”. In Old High German something like “ep-höu” – climbing foliage. The origin of the botanical name Hedera helix, on the other hand, is easier to determine: In Greek, “hédra” means seat and heli is derived from the verb “helissein”, meaning to twist, turn. The ivy clings to the tree.

Ivy as a cultivated plant

The ivy plant has a long tradition in Europe in particular – less as a medicinal plant than as a cultivated plant. As an evergreen plant, it stood for eternal life and the immortality of the soul, for love and faithfulness; Bridal couples received ivy branches as a symbol of their everlasting bond of loyalty. In Egypt and Greece, its eternal presence was dedicated to certain deities (Osiris or Dionysus). In Christianity, tombs and churches were decorated with ivy tendrils made of wood or stone – to be admired, for example, in Altenburg Cathedral or the cathedral in Reims.

Medicinal Plant of the Year

Since 1999, a medicinal plant of the year has been chosen, which is said not only to have a proven healing effect, but also to have an interesting cultural and medical history. The following plants have received this award so far:

• 1999:  Buckwheat
• 2001: Arnica
• 2002: Butcher’s Broom
• 2003: Artichoke
• 2004: Peppermint
• 2005: Medicinal Gourd
• 2006: Thymian
• 2007: Hops
• 2008: Horse Chestnut
• 2009: Fennel
• 2010: Ivy
• 2011: Passionsblume
• 2012: Licorice
• 2013: Nasturtium
• 2014: Plantain
• 2015: Real St. John’s Wort
• 2016: real  caraway