Honeysuckle

• Overview
• Uses
• Side Effects
• Interactions
• Dosing

Honeysuckle is a plant that is sometimes called “woodbine.” The flower, seed, and leaves are used for medicine. Be careful not to confuse honeysuckle with other plants that are also known as woodbine, such as American ivy, gelsemium, and Clematis virginiana.

Honeysuckle is used for digestive disorders including pain and swelling (inflammation) of the small intestine (enteritis) and dysentery; upper respiratory tract infections including colds, influenza, swine flu, and pneumonia; other viral and bacterial infections; swelling of the brain (encephalitis); fever; boils; and sores. Honeysuckle is also used for urinary disorders, headache, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and cancer. Some people use it to promote sweating, as a laxative, to counteract poisoning, and for birth control.

Honeysuckle is sometimes applied to the skin for inflammation and itching, and to kill germs.

How does it work?

Honeysuckle might decrease inflammation. However, more information is needed to determine how honeysuckle might work.

Insufficient Evidence to Rate Effectiveness for...

• Swelling (inflammation) of small air passages in the lung (bronchiolitis). Early research suggests a combination of honeysuckle, Baikal skullcap, and forsythia given by IV (intravenously) by a healthcare provider might shorten the length of symptoms of bronchiolitis in children with respiratory syncytial virus infection.
• Digestive disorders.
• Cancerous tumors.
• Constipation.
• Skin inflammation.
• Itching.
• Colds.
• Fever.
• Swelling.
• Boils.
• Sores.
• Bacterial or viral infections.
• Promoting sweating.
• Other conditions.

Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate (detailed description of each of the ratings).

It is not known if honeysuckle, in general, is safe. However, an intravenous preparation that includes honeysuckle and two other herbs has been used safely in children for up to 7 days.

Skin contact with honeysuckle can cause rash in allergic people.

Special Precautions & Warnings:

Surgery: Honeysuckle might slow blood clotting, so there is concern that it might increase the risk of extra bleeding during and after surgery. Stop using honeysuckle at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.

Honeysuckle might slow blood clotting. Taking honeysuckle along with medications that also slow clotting might increase the chances of bruising and bleeding.

Some medications that slow blood clotting include aspirin, clopidogrel (Plavix), diclofenac (Voltaren, Cataflam, others), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others), naproxen (Anaprox, Naprosyn, others), dalteparin (Fragmin), enoxaparin (Lovenox), heparin, warfarin (Coumadin), and others.

The appropriate dose of honeysuckle depends on several factors such as the user's age, health, and several other conditions. At this time there is not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses for honeysuckle. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult your pharmacist or physician or other healthcare professional before using.