In many cultures the Elder tree is revered and the Elder Mother, the spirit that resides in the tree, protects from evil spirits. Elder flowers are used as a tea for sore throats, the berries for syrup, and the leaves and bark are made into a salve for bruises, bumps and cuts and grazes.
Elderberries are a well-known cold and flu remedy and have been shown to inhibit replication of common cold and flu viruses, including both type A and type B influenza and the H1N1 strain. (Zakay-Rones, et al, 2004), (Roschek, et.al., 2009).
An outbreak of influenza B in Panama evaluated elderberry intake over 6 days, measuring fever, feeling of improvement, and complete cure along with serum antibody tests. In the elderberry treatment group, over 93% of cases saw improvements in just 2 days. This is far better than the control group, which took 6 days to reach only 91.7%. Almost 90% of the treatment group was completely cured in only 2-3 days. (Zakay-Rones, et al, 1995).
Elderberry preparations should be taken at the very first sign of illness or known exposure. (Kinoshita, et.al., 2012). They can also be taken in smaller doses as a preventative measure during the cold and flu season.
Fresh elderberries contain an alkaloid that can cause nausea and vomiting but that is easily deactivated when the berries are heated. If you have an autoimmune disease, or are taking immune suppressing drugs, please check with your health care provider before using elderberries as medicine.
Make Elderberry Syrup at Home
½ cup dried berries or 1 cup fresh or frozen berries
2 cups cold distilled water
1 cup of raw honey (raw honey also has antiviral properties)
Choose fresh, dried or frozen black elderberries (Sambucus nigra) that have been grown organically and have the stems and unripe berries removed. If using dried berries, allow the berries to soak in the water for about an hour, if time permits.
Cook over medium heat and gradually bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to cook for 30-45 minutes, stirring frequently and gently mashing the berries with a fork. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.
When cool, strain the solids from the liquid and discard the solids. If you have less than 1 cup of liquid, add water. If you have more than 1 cup, simmer the mixture again until some of the liquid has evaporated.
Add 1 cup of the strained liquid to 1 cup of raw honey. The mixture can be warmed slightly to make blending easier.
Store the mixture in a glass jar or bottle in the fridge for several weeks.
Dosages during active illness:
Adults: 1 to 2 teaspoons 3 or 4 times a day
Children ages 6 to 12: ½ teaspoon 2 or 3 times a day
Children ages 2 to 4: ¼ teaspoon 2 times a day
Due to the honey, do not give to children under 1 year of age
Give half the amounts above as an immune boost and possible preventative during cold and flu season. We enjoy elderberry syrup over home-made yogurt every morning.
If you have any concerns, please check with your doctor or health care provider for guidance.
References:
Roschek, B., Fink, R. C., McMichael, M. D., Li, D., & Alberte, R. S. (2009). Elderberry flavonoids bind to and prevent H1N1 infection in vitro. Phytochemistry, 70(10), 1255-1261.
Zakay-Rones, Z., Varsano, N., Zlotnik, M., Manor, O., Regev, L., Schlesinger, M., & Mumcuoglu, M. (1995). Inhibition of several strains of influenza virus in vitro and reduction of symptoms by an elderberry extract (Sambucus nigra L.) during an outbreak of influenza B Panama. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 1(4), 361-369.
Zakay-Rones, Z., Thom, E., Wollan, T., & Wadstein, J. (2004). Randomized study of the efficacy and safety of oral elderberry extract in the treatment of influenza A and B virus infections.Journal of International Medical Research, 32(2), 132-140.
Kinoshita, E., Hayashi, K., Katayama, H., Hayashi, T., & Obata, A. (2012). Anti-influenza virus effects of elderberry juice and its fractions. Bioscience, biotechnology, and biochemistry, 76(9), 1633-1638.