Elderberry - Composition, Use And Contraindications

Black elderberry has long been considered a medicinal plant by many peoples. Its fruits are characterized by such properties, although other parts of it are used to make decoctions and infusions. The official medicine recommends the fruits, and in the alternative application they also find the bark, leaves and flowers of the elderberry.

Composition of black elderberry

Tiny black fruits are extremely rich in useful and biologically active substances. They contain organic and fatty acids, carbohydrates, essential oil, steroids, anthocyanins, triglycerides, hydrocarbons, triterpenoids - organic compounds involved in many metabolic processes; iridoids - highly active resistant substances that perform a protective function in plant organisms, able to fight infections.

The chemical composition is quite complex and depends on where the plant grows. The flowers may contain glycosides, vitamin C, sugars, tannins; in fresh leaves there is carotene, in the bark - choline and phytosterols, in fruits - amino acids, carotenoids and tannins. Fresh flowers and fruits should be used with caution, as they contain the toxic substance amygdalin, which can be converted into hydrocyanic (hydrocyanic) acid. When the product dries, the toxins are destroyed, so the dried leaves, flowers and fruits are not dangerous.

Use of black elderberry

The fruits of the plant are most often used in cooking. They have a specific taste, which disappears after heat treatment. Therefore, it is recommended to use dried elderberries over fresh ones. In their fresh state, they are used to make pickles, compotes, purees, jams, jellies, marmalades, mousses, jams, often combined with apples and lemons.

Elderberry juice is used as a natural colorant in the production of wines, juices and other beverages.

Dried fruits are used as a spice and are added to muesli.

Black elder flowers are used in the production of wine, cognac, infusions, liqueurs. They are also added to teas and pastries. The flowers are also used to make syrup, which is used as an additive to pancakes and other dishes, and in folk medicine it is used as a remedy for colds, as it is well known that elderberry syrup strengthens the immune system.

The young shoots of the plant are also edible, they are boiled and marinated.

Traditional medicine recognizes the effectiveness of drugs that contain fruits and flowers of black elderberry: diuretics, lactogens, drugs to treat stomach problems.

Elderberry is recommended for women undergoing surgery for breast cancer. Fruits prevent oxygen deficiency of organs and tissues, experts say that their action is strong.

Elderberry eliminates swelling, is recommended for colds and flu, as a temperature-lowering agent, against sweating, as an expectorant. Decoction of the roots of the plant is used in diabetes, including severe forms of the disease.

The aqueous extract of the plant is characterized by antiviral properties, and the fruits are able to remove radionuclides and salts of heavy metals from the body.

In purulent skin diseases, rashes and burns, compresses soaked in elderberry infusion are used; in hemorrhoids they are also made. Gastric ulcer and hepatitis are treated faster if you take a decoction of the fruits of the plant.

Rash, burns and hemorrhoids respond well to black elder leaves, boiled in fresh milk (compresses are made with the liquid). Decoction of the flowers of the plant and its fresh fruits are used for gout and rheumatism. Laxative teas are made from the young leaves and fruits; infusion of the flowers helps with pharyngitis, tonsillitis, sore throat and stomatitis (throat and mouth rinse). Decoction of the flowers is used externally for skin rashes and conjunctivitis. With acne, a thin layer of the skin of the fetus is carefully applied to the face.

You can read more about the healing effect of the elderberry plant here >>>

When is the elderberry harvested and how is it stored?

All parts of the elderberry plant are used for medicinal purposes, but they are collected at different times of the year.

• The flowers are picked immediately after flowering. Spread in a thin layer on a wooden surface and dry in the shade. Then grind through a sieve and store no more than 5 years.
• Elder leaves can be harvested throughout the summer. For the preparation of medicines it is best to use the young ones.
• The roots are dug up and cut in the fall. They must be washed, dried and ground to a powder. Stored no more than 5 years.
• The fruits are picked in late August and early September and must be ripe.

Harm and contraindications

Black elderberries are medicinal, but their use in fresh condition carries the risk of vomiting, diarrhea and even severe poisoning when taken in large quantities. Young shoots are also toxic, and the bark and roots of the plant can cause inflammation of the gastric mucosa and intestines (again in large doses). For this reason, if you are diagnosed with inflammatory processes of the gastrointestinal tract, also with ulcerative colitis, it is not recommended to take any part of the plant in any form.

Elderberry is also contraindicated for people with Crohn's disease, and individual intolerance to the herb may occur.

The plant is contraindicated in all its types and conditions for pregnant and lactating women, it should not be taken for ulcerative colitis, chronic intestinal diseases, diabetes mellitus (tasteless) diabetes (rare).

Its use as a remedy in children under 12 years of age should be used with caution.