Evidence supporting the use of: Honeysuckle
For the health condition: Glands (swollen lymph)

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Synopsis

Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 2

Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) has been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to address various ailments, including swollen lymph glands. In TCM, honeysuckle is often combined with other herbs in formulas such as Yin Qiao San, which is used to "clear heat and toxins," a concept loosely associated with modern inflammatory responses and infections. Swollen lymph glands, particularly those occurring with infections, are sometimes interpreted within TCM as signs of "toxic heat," for which honeysuckle's cooling and anti-inflammatory properties are thought to be beneficial.

Modern scientific evidence does indicate that honeysuckle contains bioactive compounds (such as chlorogenic acid and luteolin) with anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects. However, there is a lack of direct clinical research specifically evaluating honeysuckle’s efficacy for swollen lymph nodes in humans. Most of the support remains theoretical or based on animal and in vitro studies. Thus, while its use for this purpose is rooted in a rich tradition and supported by evidence of general anti-inflammatory effects, robust clinical validation is lacking. The evidence is therefore rated at 2/5: plausible based on mechanistic and traditional use, but not directly validated in clinical trials for swollen lymph glands.

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