Elderberry - What Can It Do For You?

Black elderberry extract has been shown to reduce symptoms and shorten duration of flu, according to a new study to be published in The Journal of International Medical Research.

The wide range of medicinal benefits (assistance in treating colds, flu and asthma, allergies, diabetes and weight loss) is possibly due to the elderberry's high anti-oxidant properties and capacity to build the immune system.

Historically, both elderflowers and elderberries were given to build the immune system and prevent colds and flu.

A recent Norwegian study has shown that elderberry juice (Sambucus nigra) not only stimulates the immune system, but also directly inhibits the influenza virus. The active ingredients in the elderberry were found to halt the spread of the virus by disarming the enzyme responsible for attacking the cell walls.

The study, reported in The Journal of International Medical Research, showed that on average, flu patients given the elderberry extract recovered within 3.1 days compared to 7.1 days for those given the placebo. Researchers found that the patients who took the elderberry extract also had higher levels of antibodies against the flu virus.

A previous study published by The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that nearly 90 per cent of flu patients given elderberry extract were completely free of symptoms within two to three days, as compared to at least six days with a placebo.

Elderberry has been proven effective against eight different influenza viruses. The study indicated that it may provide protection against a wide range of flu viruses, solving the problem of the "mutating flu", because most strains of the virus use the same enzyme mechanism to penetrate cells.

Dr Madeleine Mumcuoglu, a virologist, said: "Flu viruses are covered by tiny protein spikes of hemagglutinin, which they use to attach to, and infect, healthy human cells. While working on my doctoral thesis we isolated key active substances within black elderberry that disarm hemagglutinin and thus stop the first step of viral invasion."

Elderberries have been a folk remedy for centuries in North America, Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa, therefore the medicinal benefits of elderberries are being investigated and rediscovered. Elderberry is used for coughs, colds, flu, bacterial and viral infections and tonsillitis. Bioflavonoids and other proteins in the juice destroy the ability of cold and flu viruses to infect a cell. People with the flu who took elderberry juice reported less severe symptoms and felt better much faster than those who did not. Elderberry juice was used to treat a flu epidemic in Panama in 1995.

Elderberries were listed in the CRC Handbook of Medicinal Herbs as early as 1985, and are listed in the 2000 Mosby's Nursing Drug reference for colds, flu, yeast infections, nasal and chest congestion, and hay fever. In Israel, Hadassah's Oncology Lab has determined that elderberry stimulates the body's immune system and they are treating cancer and AIDS patients with it. The wide range of medical benefits from flu and colds to debilitating asthma, diabetes, and weight loss is probably due to the enhancement of each individual's immune system.

Black elderberry has not, however, been tested as a flu preventative, nor is it intended as a substitute for flu vaccine.

Elderberries contain organic pigments, tannin, amino acids, carotenoids, flavonoids, sugar, rutin, viburnic acid, vitaman A and B and a large amount of vitamin C. They are also mildly laxative, a diuretic, and diaphoretic. Flavonoids, including quercetin, are believed to account for the therapeutic actions of the elderberry flowers and berries. According to medical studies these flavonoids include anthocyanins that are powerful antioxidants and protect cells against damage. At the Bundesforschungsanstalt research center for food in Karlsruhe, Germany, scientists conducting studies on Elderberry showed that elderberry anthocyanins enhance immune function by boosting the production of cytokines. These unique proteins act as messengers in the immune system to help regulate immune response, thus helping to defend the body against disease. Further research indicated that anthocyanins found in elderberries possess appreciably more antioxidant capacity than either vitamin E or vitamin C. Studies at Austria's University of Graz found that elderberry extract reduces oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Oxidation of LDL cholesterol is implicated in atherogenesis, thus contributing to cardiovascular disease.

You can buy dried elder flowers or berries and use them to make medicinal teas-2 teaspoons of dried European elder flowers steeped for 15 minutes in 1 cup of hot water. Fresh elderflowers can also be used to make a topical cream for relief of arthritis-simmer several handfuls of fresh elder flowers in melted petroleum jelly for 40 minutes, and allow this mixture to cool and solidify before applying it to the hands at bedtime.

The best way to reap the benefits of elderberry is to drink 10 ounces of elderberry juice daily. The juice of this purple fruit helps in improving digestion and elimination and provides energy to the body. However, large doses can cause diarrhea and, therefore, the juice should be taken with care. Uncooked berries can cause nausea and vomiting, even if they are ripe. Elderberry bark, leaves, seeds, and raw or unripe fruit contains cyanide, and is potentially toxic.

Elderberry extracts can also be found in health food stores and 250-500 mgs of elderberry extract with high anthocyanins are ideal for consumption.

Another way to consume elderberries is to cook them and use them as a garnish or flavoring for food. Uncooked berries should never be consumed since they contain toxins that can cause nausea and vomiting. Also make sure that you only use purple, black, and blue berries and avoid the red ones.

Classical Greek healers considered the elderberry as one of the best known healing plants found on this earth. And this has now been proven by researchers as well. So, if you want to get some of these wonderful health benefits of the elderberry, consider including it as a regular part of your daily diet. Whether you consume elderberry juice or use the extract in your pies, jams, and syrups, the benefits to your vision, heart, and immune system that this purple berry can provide are truly amazing.

2 1/2 c Elderberries
1/2 c Sugar
1/8 ts Salt
2 tb Flour
3 tb Lemon juice

Mix elderberries, sugar, salt and lemon juice. Sprinkle with flour and dot with butter. Put in an 8" pie crust and cover with another crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

2 1/2 lb Elderberries
6 tb Cold water
9 c Water
2 tb Lemon juice
Lemon rind
3/4 c Sugar
4 tb Cornstarch

Wash berries and place in a soup kettle. Add water and a twist or two of lemon rind. Cook until the berries are soft. Strain into a bowl, pushing though as much of the pulp as possible. Return the liquid to the kettle, bring to a boil, and remove the kettle from the stove.

Combine the cornstarch, cold water, and lemon juice, pressing out all the lumps. Add to the soup, together with the sugar, and stir thoroughly. Place over medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until thick and clear. Adjust the sugar and lemon to suit your taste. Serve hot or cold.