Elderberry (Sambucus nigra)

Other common names: European elder, black elder
Latin name: Sambucus nigra L. [Caprifoliaceae]
Plant part: Fruit


European elder or black elder is a common shrub in Europe with
sweet-smelling flowers and shiny black berries. Historically, the
flowers, berries, leaves, and bark have all been used medicinally.
However, the most commonly used plant part is the flower. Preparations
of the flowers have been used for their diaphoretic and diuretic
effect in the treatment of colds. In addition, the flowers and berries
are used to make wine, which has been heated until hot and taken for
colds (Wren, Williamson, and Evans, 1988).

The use of an elderberry fruit extract in treatment for flu was borne
out of laboratory testing which found activity against several strains
of influenza virus (Mumcuoglu, 1998). That testing resulted in a
product, Sambucol®, a syrup containing elderberry juice and raspberry
extract. Sambucol is manufactured by Razei Bar Industries
Ltd., Israel, and distributed in the United States by Nature’s Way
Products Inc.



Flu

Sambucol was tested for the treatment of flu in a small trial with
members of a kibbutz. Early symptoms of flu, caused by the influenza
virus, are sudden fever, chills, body aches, and eventually a
runny nose, headache, and cough. The trial initially included 40 children
and adults who had developed flu symptoms within 24 hours before
the start of the trial. Participants were given either placebo or
Sambucol (two tablespoons per day were given to children, and four
tablespoons per day were given to adults) for three days. Only 27 subjects
were included in the study evaluation, which reported a significant
improvement in symptoms of the flu, including fever, in 93 percent
of the treatment group within two days. The placebo group
showed such an improvement within six days. The treatment group
had a greater increase in antibody titers to influenza B/Panama compared
to the control group, but this difference was not significant
(Zakay-Rones et al., 1995). According to our reviewer, Dr. Richard
O’Connor, evaluation of the clinical effectiveness of Sambucol was
limited by the small number of subjects included in the final analysis.