Ahngook Pharmaceutical announced Monday that Ivy leaf and Rhodiola, the main ingredient of Synatura, an expectorant that treats coughing and congestions, has proved to suppress pulmonary lung inflammation caused by yellow sand significantly.

In recent years, desertification has progressed in China, which has increased yellow dust in Korea. Such increase in numbers has become an issue as yellow dust enters the human lung directly and causes coughing, sputum, inflammation. It can also cause the bronchial wall to deteriorate and lead to stenosis.

The Chung Ang University research team, led by Professor Shin Jong-wook of the department of respiratory allergy medicine and Professor Lee Ji-yoon of the department medicine, evaluated the efficacy of the combined extract of Ivy leaf and Rhodiola in treating pulmonary inflammation induced by yellow dust.

As a result, the two extracts showed similar results in inhibiting eosinophil infiltration, a pro-inflammatory cytokine and chemokine secretion, and IgE concentration as dexamethasone, its compare group. It also significantly decreased lung inflammation.

“During the yellow dust season, a lot of expectorants are prescribed along with preventive therapies such as masks,” a company official said. “However, it is hard to find an expectorant that has proved its efficacy against yellow dust.”

With the added research results, the company expects to expand further its market share of Synatura, which currently occupies 20 percent of the expectorant market, he added.

According to UBIST, a medical supplies statistics provider, the Korean expectorant market reached 154.3 billion won ($144 million) last year.