Inula helenium, commonly known as elecampane or horse-heal, is a perennial plant with a bitter taste and aromatic fragrance. It is widely found in Asia, Europe, and North America and has been used as a medicinal herb with a long history.

A gently warming and tonic herb, I. helenium is especially effective in treating cough, vomiting, diarrhea, consumption, bronchitis, and many other complaints and disorders in the chest and digestive system. It cleans toxins from the body by stimulating the immune and digestive systems and treating bacterial and fungi infections. It also induces detoxifying enzymes, such as quinine reductase and glutathione S-transferase. In the scientific research articles, mainly the anti-microbial activities of I. helenium were reported, especially against pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, and Candida albicans.