Elderberry - a folk anti-cancer remedy

Elderberry is a perennial shrub belonging to the Adoxaceae family.

It is also called:

• wild elderberry;
• elderberry is stinky.

Description

This shrub grows as a weed in wastelands, sides of country roads, and forest edges. Sometimes there are dense thickets of elderberry in deciduous forests. It is easily accepted on sandy and clay soils, and also grows along the banks of rivers and small streams. Found in the mountains (not higher than the middle zone) and forest-steppe of Europe, in the southern regions of Russia, in low mountains Central Asia, on the territory of Belarus and Ukraine.

This weed reaches a height of 1.5 m. Appearance wild elderberry resembles black elderberry, but there is also distinguishing feature. During the flowering period, the herbaceous elderberry has not yellow, but red anthers. Its flowers form thyroid inflorescences. The stem is straight, the core is white. The plant has a powerful rhizome. The drupes are dark, the flesh is red and has an unpleasant aroma. The berries ripen in early September.

Everyone knows the myth of how Prometheus, belonging to the ancient Greek pantheon of deities, gave fire to humanity. And he placed the flame precisely in the empty elderberry trunk. According to legend, this tree was planted evil spirits, which settled at the foot of the plant. The Slavs avoided unnecessary contact with this bush. Other peoples decorated clothes with elderberry branches on Walpurgis Night (to protect themselves from evil spirits). In biblical legends, there are several parables related to elderberries. In ancient times, its flowers were collected, which were amulets against vampires even before the use of garlic.

Compound

The berries are rich in tannins, organic acids and essential oils. They also contain sambucyanine (a dye) and amygdalin (a toxic alkaloid substance). For the preparation of potions, elderberry rhizome is mainly used, which contains tannins, saponins and bitterness. The composition of flowers has much in common with the composition of fruits.

When consuming fresh aerial parts of the plant, poisoning may occur due to the fact that amygdalin is converted into hydrocyanic acid. This dangerous alkaloid is neutralized by drying.

Medicinal properties

As mentioned above, elderberry herbaceous folk remedies most often contain its root. He contains active substances, which cause the anti-inflammatory and strong diuretic effect of products prepared from it. Elderberry is also used as a laxative. The plant can lower blood sugar levels, so it is often used to combat diabetes. Research has shown that elderberry also has antitumor properties.

Medicinal use

IN folk medicine Elderberry has gained fame thanks to its active biological substances. Diuretics are made from the rhizome of the plant, which are then used for inflammation. Bladder and nephritis (kidney inflammation). They interact effectively with traditional medicines. Such drugs are used for dropsy of the abdominal and cardiac areas. Poultices and compresses are made from the herbal part of elderberry, which are used to treat various skin diseases (rashes, diaper rash). The flower infusion is an excellent diaphoretic and astringent. It is also used as a mouth rinse.

According to some reports, wild elderberry can treat cancer. Today there are some homeopathic anti-cancer drugs that contain this plant. However, official medicine has not yet confirmed such properties.

Leaves and flowers must be used with extreme caution, as they contain a toxic alkaloid. It is necessary to strictly monitor the dosage. And the berries of the plant have not found their use in folk medicine at all due to their excessive toxicity, so children should not be allowed near the bush.

Recipes

Antitumor decoction:

For one tablespoon of dried, finely chopped rhizomes, take 0.5 liters of water and put on fire. After the broth has boiled, it is left on low heat for a quarter of an hour. Leave for 10-12 hours. Drink half an hour before meals, 50 ml per dose.

Infusion for dropsy:

Prepared dry chopped roots (30 g) are poured into a liter boiled water. Leave for 2-3 hours and strain. Take a glass three times a day. This is an excellent diuretic.

Remedy for diabetes:

Place two teaspoons of rhizomes in a vessel, add two glasses of boiled water and leave for 3-4 hours. Drink up to five times a day, 2 tbsp. spoons.

Contraindications

The main danger in using this plant is overdose. In this case

Possible failure of the heart, kidneys or liver. Nausea and vomiting may begin. Elderberry is not recommended for pregnant women, nursing mothers, or young children.

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7 ideas about “ Elderberry herbaceous”

1. Andrey

   Elderberry - a folk anti-cancer remedy
   Elderberry is a perennial shrub belonging to the Adoxaceae family.

   It is also called:
   wild elderberry;
   elderberry is stinky.
   Description
   This shrub grows as a weed in wastelands, sides of country roads, and forest edges. Sometimes there are dense thickets of elderberry in deciduous forests. It is easily accepted on sandy and clay soils, and also grows along the banks of rivers and small streams. It is found in the mountains (not higher than the middle zone) and forest-steppe of Europe, in the southern regions of Russia, in the low mountains of Central Asia, in Belarus and Ukraine.

2. Author of the post

   For as long as I can remember, my grandmother collected and dried elderberry blossoms. They grew not far from her, far from the road, and in her opinion they could cure everything in the world.
   Elderberry helped my grandmother, my uncle also drank the decoction, and the effect was also noticeable.
   It seems to me that if you do take it, then only as prescribed by a doctor and in a dosage determined by him; self-medication with this plant (more precisely, a shrub) seems dangerous to me, it’s not for nothing that it is considered moderately poisonous for mammals, which people also belong to..
   By the way, my mother made elderberry jam about 2 years ago, but I didn’t dare try it. She said it was peculiar, but tasty!

3. Author of the post

   I heard such a story about fly agarics in our city, I don’t know for sure whether it’s true or fiction. The woman had a son who was a drug addict, took everything out of the apartment, constantly asked her for money with threats, she began to be afraid of him. Once he brought her to such an extent that she prepared food for him in the morning from fly agarics, and she herself went to the dacha. By the evening, reproaching herself, because she still had a son, she returned home. My son was at home, alive and unharmed, and I looked and saw that the fly agaric frying pan was empty.

4. Author of the post

   Wonderful tool for allergies and seborrhea
   Many years ago I became allergic to everything that blooms, from trees to the most common grass. Therefore, I “enjoy” life from May to August. In addition to the cough, my eyes, neck and face (everything where flower pollen gets in) are terribly swollen and itchy.
   In addition, there is oily seborrhea on the face: this is when, as a result of a violation of fat metabolism in the cells on the surface of the skin, redness appears, and then white/yellow scales. Unfortunately, there is still no cure for this problem.
   Many years ago, one doctor advised me to wash my face with a decoction of Elderberry flowers and I am very grateful to her for that.

   During an exacerbation, I take a tablespoon of flowers, pour a glass of boiling water and leave for several hours. As a rule, this happens in the morning. Therefore, by evening the infusion is ready. You just need to strain it. I wash off my makeup, apply skincare products, and finally wash my face with this product. Then I don’t wipe my face dry, but blot it and allow the remaining liquid to be absorbed into the skin. If this is not a period of exacerbation, then I add elderberry flowers in small quantities to any other herb (mint, calendula, etc.). I really like to wash my face with herbal decoctions.

   Result:
   With allergies, itching and redness disappear, swelling of the eyes decreases. Why not only wash my face with this decoction, but also rinse my nose. In the same way you can prepare regular Herb tea and take it orally several times a day. It relieves the general condition well.
   With seborrhea, the scales dry out within 2-3 days, gradually peel off, and the redness goes away. The main thing is not to rush to stop seborrhea ahead of time. Otherwise there will be wounds.

   I buy black elderberry flowers at the pharmacy. I would like to hope that in this case they are prepared in compliance with all standards. They have a very pleasant, honey smell. The decoction has a light golden color and a pleasant taste. It is certainly more convenient to use tea in bags, but, in my opinion, it is not as effective.

5. Author of the post

   Tanya, I still haven’t seen a live elderberry))) and in a few days I’ll be forty...

6. Author of the post

   Zoya, sorry, I just read your recommendation. Thank you very much!! Of course I'll try!! You can drink glutamic acid now or wait until spring approaches - when do all my problems begin???? Thanks again

7. Author of the post

   WHY “FOLK RECIPES FOR CANCER MEDICINES” FROM ELDERBERRY ARE DANGEROUS AND INEFFECTIVE
   It should be emphasized: increased attention to the elderberry of modern traditional healers and oncophytotherapists who took it upon themselves to replace official anticancer therapy alternative treatment, is caused by the presence of cyanide in this plant.

   Promoters of this method claim that the treatment of cancer with toxic juices, decoctions, infusions and extracts obtained from various parts plants (not only black, but also red and herbaceous elderberry!), are more effective and less harmful than treatment with official chemotherapeutic agents.

   To do this they use the following arguments:

   Poisons in medicinal elderberry infusions do not cause strong side effects. Since natural vitamin complexes and biostimulants are present in elderberry extracts along with cyanides, it is easier for cancer patients to tolerate the effects of toxins.
   Cancer cells and, above all, hormone-dependent tumors, in much greater quantities than cells of healthy tissues and the contents of the human intestine, contain a special enzyme - beta-glucosidase, under the influence of which amygdalin decomposes to form hydrocyanic acid. Thus, there is a directed destructive effect of amygdalin on the tumor, while normal tissues are practically not destroyed. At the same time, in cancer cells there is no protective enzyme rhodanese, which is found in small quantities in healthy tissues of the body and neutralizes the same small quantities of hydrocyanic acid and its derivatives.
   Amygdalin and sambunigrin are less toxic (toxicity class 1-2) than officially approved chemotherapeutic agents (toxicity class 6). At the same time, the American Pharmacological Society and the FDA deliberately “inflate” the toxicity of these substances, since they are well paid for this by the manufacturers of official chemotherapy drugs.
   Each of the above arguments has its own reason. But it is also true that it is easy to find a counterargument to any of them, which we will now do.

   Yes, indeed, in the compositions of elderberry folk remedies, along with poisons, there is a whole natural pharmacy. However this method oncophytotherapy can be recommended only if there is scientific justification and practical confirmation: poisonous elderberry really helps against cancer and is really safe. But there is no such evidence. At the same time, to strengthen the weakened immune defense cancer patient and supporting him normal condition during special treatment official chemotherapy drugs are modern, approved for use, safe and effective means, including those based on natural ingredients.
   The content of the enzyme responsible for the hydrolysis of cyanide and the synthesis of hydrocyanic acid in cancer cells is indeed tens of times higher than the amount of beta-glycosidase in healthy tissues. However, hydrocyanic acid does not destroy the tumor and does not even lead to a reduction in its size. True, propagandists of the method claim that some forms malignant tumors under the influence of this toxin they become benign. But this information has not been confirmed and, in principle, cannot serve as a consolation for the patient: after all, if you stop taking the poison, the tumor will immediately return. Moreover, this will happen much faster than a relapse will develop after chemotherapy. Then why slowly kill yourself, every day stubbornly bringing your last day closer?
   Unfortunately, the interest of pharmaceutical magnates in the production of pharmaceuticals that “slow down” the disease, but do not guarantee complete and absolute recovery, is a sad fact. This applies not only to anticancer drugs, but in oncology this state of affairs is especially unacceptable. However, let's be honest: today there is not a single official or unofficial cure for cancer, isolated and independent use which would guarantee the patient complete cure in 100% of cases. But there are means that can greatly enhance the effect. official treatment, and, at the same time, prevent both the disease itself and its relapses. Moreover, note that the products are absolutely safe and truly effective, unlike poisonous elderberry.
   The discussion about the benefits and harms of elderberry poisons in the treatment of cancer can be continued, but we do not see much point in doing so. Let's just say that:

   There is not a single clinically proven case of recovery of a cancer patient treated with poisonous elderberry infusions;
   Numerous cases of hydrocyanic acid poisoning have been recorded during the “treatment” of cancer with elderberry according to the recipes of traditional healers. Including fatalities.

Elderberry is not only an ornamental shrub that can decorate your garden. This is also healthy berries, which are widely used in medicinal and for preventive purposes. We invite you to find out why elderberry is needed, how to plant and care for this plant, as well as recipes medicinal drugs and tinctures.

General information

Elderberry is a perennial plant that reaches a height of 60 to 150 centimeters. It has straight branched stems and odd-pinnate leaves. Flowering occurs in June-July. The flowers are very small and collected in white inflorescences. There are red stamens in the middle. The inflorescences are quite large (up to 20 centimeters in diameter), round in shape. Black berries ripen in August-September.

Planting and care

Elderberry is an unpretentious plant. She feels great in the shade, tolerates frosty winters, and lends itself to curly pruning. The only requirement for a good harvest is well-drained soil. Therefore, you should always monitor the moisture level at the landing site.

If the soil is poor minerals, then it is recommended to apply fertilizers and fertilizing. Best time for this - the beginning of the growing season. Elderberry is resistant to pests and diseases. But there is still a small risk of aphids and mites.

Reproduction of herbaceous elderberry occurs vegetatively and by cuttings. In the first method, above-ground shoots, root shoots, other parts of the bush, and underground creeping rhizomes are disconnected from the bush. In the case of cuttings, in June-July, branches from 8 to 12 cm in length should be cut from the elderberry.

Elderberry - application

This perennial is used as an ornamental plant and for medicinal purposes. Black elderberry flowers, berries, rhizomes, leaves, bark, twigs - everything is used to create various decoctions, infusions and preparations.

The perennial has unique medicinal properties. It can be combined with other plants to enhance the health benefits. The berries can also be eaten unprocessed. But it is necessary to take precautions, because if there is an excess of them in the body, poisoning can occur.

Medicinal properties of elderberry

There are two main ways in which elderberry is used. Medicinal properties The benefits of this perennial are greatest when used as a diuretic or to lower blood sugar levels. That's why various decoctions It is recommended to use for kidney diseases, ascites, and diabetes.

Elderberry preparations can also be made to treat constipation, obesity, back pain, gastritis and digestive disorders, and colds. There are excellent folk recipes to prevent influenza and improve immunity.

Recipes for infusions and decoctions

1. An infusion of elderberry and other plants for edema, polyarthritis and gout. Make a mixture of dried flowers (10 grams), elderberry root (15 grams), (15 grams), common knotweed (10 grams), horsetail(10 grams), flowers (10 grams), corn columns (15 grams), leaves (15 grams) and birch buds (15 grams). Pour four tablespoons into one liter of water and let it brew for twelve hours. Before use, boil for five minutes and cool slightly. Drink half a glass four times a day half an hour after meals.
2. For hemorrhoids. Make an infusion of eight elderberry leaves, one tablespoon of sage and one glass of boiling water. Let the whole thing sit for one hour and add another teaspoon of honey. You need to take half a glass a day for a month.
3. For sore joints, gout, arthritis, neuralgia, paralysis. Boil black elderberry and chamomile flowers. Soak a bandage in this broth and apply a compress to painful areas of the body.
4. For the treatment of radiculitis. Let the elderflower flowers (1.5 tablespoons) steep in boiling water (0.5 liters) for one hour. You need to take half a glass of the tincture three to five times a day before meals. The treatment period is ten days, then you need to take a break.
5. For insomnia and headaches. Take a decoction of black elderberry roots and flowers.
6. At different stomach diseases and atherosclerosis. Make a decoction of the bark and take it at night.
7. For skin rashes. Make a decoction of black elderberry bark, flowers and berries and take a bath in it.

To prevent colds and flu

Dry black elderberry flowers and add them to tea to protect yourself from colds or as a aid with the flu. For three teaspoons of tea leaves you need one teaspoon of flowers.

For dessert, you can make elderberry syrup. To do this, the perennial berries are blanched and 1.4 kilograms of sugar are added to one liter of juice. The syrup needs to be cooked for a long time to make it thick. It is used to make sauces, jellies, and as toppings for ice cream, pancakes, and cakes.

For those who love Home wine, elderberry will also come in handy. The perennial berries do not lose their medicinal properties in wine, and the drink itself turns out very tasty.

Wine recipe:

1. Take two liters apple juice, ten liters of black elderberries, one kilogram of sugar.
2. Mash the berries.
3. Add juice and sugar.
4. Move everything around and leave to ferment for five to six days.
5. Then strain the drink, squeeze out the juice and bottle everything. The container must be closed with a cork and secured with wire (following the example of champagne).
6. Bottles are placed in a cold room (cellar, basement).

Contraindications

Eating black elderberry is strictly prohibited for pregnant and lactating women and children under twelve years of age. It is not recommended to drink decoctions and infusions from this perennial for people with impaired functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

There is also a risk of poisoning if you use elderberries in excess of the amount specified in recipes.

Elderberry is a tall shrub that has light bark, small yellow flowers and spherical dark fruits. People call it the trumpet tree, the old lady, the tree of fate, and maiden sambuca. It can often be found in forests, especially coniferous ones, very rarely in mixed ones. Also popular in the Caucasus, Central Asia, southern and Western Europe. Elderberry is popular because it has a rich chemical composition. What therapeutic effect does elderberry have? Contraindicated for whom this type plants?

Description of elderberry

This type of plant belongs to the perennial family Honeysuckle, can grow as a shrub or small tree, reaching a height of up to 10 meters. It begins to bloom in late spring, is distinguished by small flowers, red in color, and has a pleasant smell. Elderberry has many types, many of them are used as ornamental plants, others are used as medicine. You can count up to 50 varieties; they grow in the North, where the climate is temperate and subtropical, in Australia. Our country has up to 14 species of plants, most often used in medicinal purposes– black, grassy, ​​red and Canadian.

In appearance, the herbaceous appearance of the plant is very similar to the black elderberry, but they have different anther flowers, they are red, and the flowers of the black elderberry are always yellow. The herbaceous elderberry has dark purple berries that produce red juice that also has an unpleasant smell. It begins to bloom in early summer, the berries are ready at the end of August.

Beneficial properties of elderberry

Black and red elderberries contain a lot of useful substances, such as ascorbic acid, rutin, choline, essential oils, glycosides, aldehydes, they are contained in the bark and leaves of the plant. The fruits of elderberry are rich in tannin, glucose, caffeic, and malic acids.

The following parts of the herbaceous elderberry are used for treatment: shoots, berries, bark, leaves and flowers. The tincture is infused with berries, the root and bark are used to produce oil, and various decoctions are prepared from the leaves of the plant.

Use of elderberry

Tea from the plant is used as a diaphoretic and anti-cold remedy; it has a sedative, antipyretic and expectorant effect. Elderberry-based preparations are recommended for use for constipation, urolithiasis, bronchitis, tracheitis, gout, rheumatism, etc.

Elderberry flowers help cure diseases of the ears, nose and throat, and are good for tonsillitis, otitis media, etc. bronchial asthma, pneumonia and flu. It is very important to follow the dosage when using these drugs, because it medicine It is a potent drug; overdose can cause a variety of complications.

Elderberry is used for culinary purposes; the berries can be used to make compote, jelly, jam, cider, wine, lemonade, and various tinctures.

Elderberry flowers are one of the best laxatives, diaphoretics, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory agents; with their help you can cure influenza, arthritis, rheumatism, gout, diseases of the upper respiratory tract, .

Fresh berries elderberry is used for hepatitis, neuralgia, stomach and intestinal ulcers. Black elderberry is used to treat such serious illnesses like skin and stomach cancer.

Elderberry leaves are one of the best astringents, diuretics, antipyretics, diaphoretics, sedatives, tonic. They should be applied to burns, boils, bruises, they perfectly relieve inflammation.

Elderberry bark is used for kidney and skin diseases, gout, edema, arthritis, rheumatism. A decoction based on leaves, roots and flowers helps restore metabolism and protects the body.

Traditional medicine appreciates all parts of the herbaceous plant; with the help of berries you can prepare various infusions, drinks, medicinal solutions, cocktails. Leaves, bark and roots are suitable for decoctions. But the flowers are most valued; they need to be collected when they just begin to bloom, until the corollas begin to fall off, at the beginning of summer. It is very important not to pick off the inflorescence, they need to be cut using a special knife or garden pruning shears, stored best in the shade or in a room with excellent ventilation; if moisture gets on it, it will immediately lose all its medicinal properties.

Medicinal recipes based on elderberry

1. For colds, severe headaches, bronchial asthma, rheumatism, problems with the respiratory tract, you need to use an infusion based on elderberry flowers. To prepare it you will need two teaspoons of flowers, a glass of boiling water, leave everything for up to 20 minutes.

2. During treatment kidney diseases and skin, it is recommended to use a decoction based on elderberry bark; to prepare it you will need a tablespoon of dry bark, a glass of boiling water, pour everything in, leave, drink up to 3 times a day, no more than one tablespoon.

3. It is good for arthritis, gout, rheumatism to add a decoction of elderberry bark to the bath, for this you need to take a liter of boiling water, two tablespoons of herbs, leave for up to two hours, strain and pour into the bath, the water temperature should be no more than 38 degrees.

For effectiveness, it is recommended to drink a tablespoon of elderberry tincture immediately after taking a bath. To prepare it, you need to take a teaspoon of flowers, or perhaps plant buds, a glass of vodka, and leave for 10 days. You can take baths for up to 3 weeks.

Contraindications for elderberry

Plants should not be taken by people who are suffering ulcerative colitis, diabetes mellitus, . You should also be careful when taking it during pregnancy; remember that the stems of the plant contain cyanide, which is why the plant is considered poisonous. Be sure to check with your doctor in detail before use, especially regarding the dosage, in order to avoid poisoning.

Latin name

Folk names

Elderberry stinking, Elderberry low-growing, greenberry

Description

A perennial plant, a shrub 50-60 cm high with a straight, branched, grooved stem and a white core. The leaves are imparipinnate, with 5-9 oblong-lanceolate, serrate-pointed leaves. Stipules are leaf-shaped, lanceolate, also serrate. The inflorescence is a flat, shield-shaped, erect panicle with three main branches. The flowers are small, with petals white inside, pinkish outside, with red anthers. Blooms in June-July. The berries are black and ripen in August-September. The entire plant (and not just the leaves alone, like black elderberry) has a specific unpleasant odor.

Spreading

It is found in the European part of Russia, the Caucasus, Ukraine, Belarus, Crimea, and Turkmenistan. It grows along the edges, ravines, river banks and as a weed in fields and vegetable gardens; it loves clay soil.

Part used

IN medical practice flowers, fruits, grass and roots are used. The roots of elderberry contain saponins, tannins, and bitterness. The fruits contain essential oil, tannins, bitterness, organic acids, pectins, coloring matter and the toxic alkaloid amygdalin.

Collection and preparation

The roots are harvested in autumn or spring. The dug up roots are cleared of soil, cut into pieces 10-12 cm long, split, dried for several days in the sun and dried in a heated room. The yield of dry raw materials is 20%. Store in dry, ventilated areas.

Application

Plant preparations have anti-inflammatory, laxative, diuretic and antidiabetic properties. Elderberry is used in folk medicine as an infusion orally for glomerulonephritis, pyelonephritis, urolithiasis, edema of renal origin, ascites. Used in mixtures with other medicinal plants for treatment diabetes mellitus, cystitis

Externally, infusions and decoctions of elderberry herb are used in the treatment of skin diseases. Water infusion The roots are used externally for baths for fungal diseases and dermatitis caused by spider bites.

Recipes

root decoction: 2 teaspoons of finely chopped roots per glass of boiling water; take 1 tbsp. spoon 3 times a day.

tincture: 20 g of crushed root per 100 ml of alcohol or vodka, leave for 8 days in a warm place. Alcohol tincture take 15 drops, and vodka - 30 drops 3 times a day.

infusion: 30 g of roots per 1 liter of boiling water, take 1 glass 3 times a day.

Contraindications

The plant is poisonous!!! When using flowers, berries, leaves, especially fresh ones, amygdalin poisoning may occur.

Black elderberry is one of the most common wild plants in Ukraine and central Russia. It has a rich, valuable composition, but a paradoxical situation has arisen regarding it. The medicinal properties and contraindications of black elderberry have not been studied and formulated fully enough.

The local population considers the plant poisonous, which is why plantings of the crop are systematically destroyed. An erroneous judgment leads to a decrease in the population of the crop in places where people live: near settlements and dacha cooperatives.

Features of black elderberry

The shrub plant is included in large group elderberry crops, including compact trees and herbs. Previously, the herbaceous, black, and variegated elderberries belonged to a separate group of Elderberries of the Honeysuckle family. IN last years the scientific classification of crops has changed. Black, herbaceous and red elderberry, along with about twenty other similar plants, are classified in the Adoxaceae family of flowering plants.

Cultures have pronounced external differences. Elderberry (or red) is a shrub that bears bright red fruits. Popularly recognized as a medicinal plant. Herbaceous is a perennial grass that grows up to one meter. Variegated elderberry is a herbaceous shrub with bright green leaves and white veins.

Description

Black elderberry. Botanical illustration from the book “Köhler’s Medizinal-Pflanzen”, 1887.

Black elderberry is a small tree or shrub that reaches a height of no more than seven meters, but more often grows up to two to three meters. It has a neat rounded crown formed by large elongated leaves. Their surface is dark green, back side may look lighter. The bark is ash-brown in color, and on old trees it is covered with deep cracks.

The flowering period begins in May and lasts for two months. At this time, the bush is covered with numerous inflorescences in the form of flat tassels, collected from small round-shaped flowers. They are beige or yellowish in color, hang down under their own weight and smell of a rich, sweetish aroma.

From August to September, fruits appear in place of flowers - three-stone berries. As they ripen, they acquire a purple-black hue, become juicy, and grow up to ten millimeters in diameter.

Geography and distribution

The plant has attractive decorative qualities, so it is often planted in gardens and parks. It is unpretentious and grows almost everywhere, including in conditions of lack of sunlight. IN natural environment grows in the lower tier of the forest, content with the meager lighting penetrating through the crowns of large trees. But with access to the sun it grows more luxuriantly, actively, and grows to its maximum height.

The largest population of black elderberry is represented in Ukraine. In Russia, it grows in the middle and southern zone, and is often found in the Caucasus and Crimea. Its favorite habitat is deciduous forests near natural bodies of water. It is tolerant of bushes and forms them itself.

You can find out where black elderberry grows by carefully familiarizing yourself with the vegetation of forested parks and wooded areas, especially on the banks of rivers and in old parks. As an ornamental and unpretentious plant, it is planted in gardens and cemeteries.

Collection and preparation

The beneficial properties of black elderberry have not been studied enough, so when it comes to choosing raw materials, not everything is clear. The flowers of the plant and its fruits have undeniable benefits. They are recognized official medicine medicinal raw materials with a specific effect on the body. People also use other parts of the plant.

• Flowers. Collection is carried out during the period of mass flowering of the crop. Elderberry flowers are collected whole, cutting off the entire cluster with scissors or pruning shears. Dry in well-ventilated areas at moderate temperatures. The slower the drying, the higher quality raw materials are obtained in the end. As elderberry flowers dry out, they lose a lot of volume. At the exit, no more than twenty percent of their original mass remains. That is why herbalists consider them to be especially valuable medicinal raw materials, preferring to use them in therapy colds children.
• Fruit. Harvest fully ripe, deep purple black elderberries. They require different drying conditions. It is optimal to use ovens with a set temperature of up to sixty-five degrees Celsius. Elderberries lose even more volume than flowers. At the exit, only fifteen percent of the original volume remains. However, during the harvesting process, the liquid from the tissues does not completely evaporate. This limits the shelf life of medicinal raw materials. It should be used within six months, and during storage it is necessary to regularly stir the fruits, placed in breathable fabric bags, to prevent the appearance of mold.
• Leaves. Not used in official medicine. Harvesting is carried out simultaneously with the flowers. The torn leaves are placed on paper and placed in the open sun. Once slightly dried, they are put in the shade, where they are dried to the required condition. At the exit, about twenty-five percent of the raw material remains.
• Bark and roots. Medicinal raw materials with unconfirmed scientific effectiveness. It is rarely collected, as it is not used in common healing practices. In addition, regular harvesting worsens the condition of the plant population. The bark is collected in the spring, the roots - in September, after the fruits are harvested. The raw materials are crushed and dried in an oven, a hot room or in the open sun.

Collecting black elderberry flowers and its fruits does not negative impact on the condition of crop plantings. But harvesting bark and roots, regularly carried out in one area, can lead to the death of shrubs. To preserve the population, it is important to harvest roots and bark from the same plants no more than once every three years.

Composition and properties

The medicinal properties of black elderberry are determined by the type of raw material. The composition of all plant organs is very different, as is the effect on the body.

• Flowers. Contains up to 0.03 percent essential oils, rutin and mucus. The latter has an enveloping effect, covering the mucous membranes of the respiratory and digestive organs. The flowers also contain tannins, which have an astringent effect in the intestines. The presence of sambunigrin glycoside is controversial point in the use of raw materials in therapeutic practice. In the body, it breaks down into hydrocyanic acid and glucose, so there is an opinion about the toxicity of the raw material. However, practical confirmation of the danger or, conversely, the safety of flowers has not been received to date.
• Leaves. Contain a range of glycosides, including sambunigrin, and alkaloids. The composition contains toxic sanguinar and coniine, the latter is on the list of strong poisons with neuroparalytic effects. But in small doses it demonstrates an anti-inflammatory effect, which makes it possible to use medications from leaves in the form of external lotions for treating leather.
• Fruit. Attractive vitamin composition. Along with sugars and organic acids, they contain up to fifteen milligrams ascorbic acid per hundred grams of product contains carotene and rutin. The latter substance has vitamin activity, affects the tone of capillaries, reducing their fragility, and increases the elasticity of red blood cells. In their complex action, rutin preparations have hemostatic and anti-inflammatory activity. The fruits also contain tannins.
• Roots and bark. The former are rich in saponins - substances with a diuretic, expectorant, and bitter effect. The bark is rich in choline - essential substance, participating in fat metabolism in tissues. It also contains pectins and tannins, which have astringent and anti-inflammatory activity.

Depending on the disease used various organs plants in therapy. Medicinal properties remain maximum with minor heat treatment raw materials. This is especially true for fruits, so elderberry jam is more of a dietary product than a medicinal one, since when cooked vitamin complex is completely destroyed.

Uses of elderberry

In official medicine, flowers and fruits of the medicinal plant are used. All parts of culture are used in folk culture. The medicinal properties of black elderberry flowers, leaves, and bark are known.

The following types of effects of medicinal raw materials are manifested.

• Diuretic. All organs of elderberry are present, so infusions are used in the treatment of a range of diseases associated with impaired urine production and to stimulate its passage.
• Anti-inflammatory, diaphoretic. Flowers, leaves and bark are used in the treatment of infectious and inflammatory diseases. The fruits have a tonic effect and strengthen the immune system.
• Laxative. Black elderberry syrup from fruit - famous folk remedy from constipation. Used in small dosages. Similar action, but significantly higher dose, showing roots and bark. Rarely used as a laxative.
• Painkiller. The action is characteristic of flowers, so their use in the treatment of colds and associated infectious and inflammatory processes of the upper respiratory tract is justified.

Diverse effects on the body allow you to use medicinal raw materials for the treatment of a number of diseases: inflammation of the respiratory system, genitourinary system and kidneys, for neuralgia, in gynecological practice, for the treatment of chronic constipation.

Infusion of flowers for drinking

The composition has an anti-inflammatory and enveloping effect. Can be used from the first days of a cold or viral disease with fever and general malaise. It will help in the treatment of bronchitis, tonsillitis and other diseases of the upper respiratory tract, complicated by difficult sputum discharge.

Preparation

1. Place the flowers in a thermos. Use two tablespoons.
2. Leave to sit for forty minutes.

Drink medicinal infusion follows throughout the day. Drink it in small sips as often as possible and stick to it bed rest so that the disease quickly recedes.

The same infusion is used as a diuretic in the treatment of kidney and bladder diseases. It can be used by patients with renal failure. The resulting volume of medicinal infusion should be used within two days. Drink it warm, half a glass before meals three times a day.

Infusion of flowers for external treatments

Medicinal infusion The flowers are used externally in gynecological practice. It has an anti-inflammatory effect and is used to treat the vagina for colpitis and vaginitis.

Preparation

1. Place the flowers in a jar. Use four tablespoons.
2. Pour boiling water in a volume of five hundred milliliters.
3. Leave to sit for twenty minutes.
4. Strain.

Use the infusion for douches and baths. Before the onset of menstruation, the course should be interrupted two days. You can continue treatment after menstruation after two to three days.

Laxative infusion of fruits

Using black elderberry berries as a laxative will help with chronic constipation. You can prepare the product with water or with the addition of honey.

Preparation

1. Pour the dried berries into a container. Use three tablespoons.
2. Pour two hundred milliliters of boiling water.
3. Cover with a lid and leave to brew for twelve hours.
4. Add honey before use.

Take a glass of the product in the morning, on an empty stomach. The medicinal infusion stimulates bowel movements and supports the immune system.

Leaves poultice

The leaves of the plant have an anti-inflammatory effect, stimulate the healing of wounds of various origins, clean and complicated by bacterial infection.

Preparation

1. Grind the dried leaves. Use 3 tablespoons of raw material.
2. Pour two hundred milliliters of milk.
3. Simmer over low heat for ten minutes.
4. Cool.

Place the boiled leaves on gauze and apply the resulting compress to the affected areas of the skin. The product is effective for various injuries, including cuts and burns, boils, and diaper rash. Helps relieve swelling and pain syndrome for hemorrhoids with prolapsed nodes.

Infusion of bark for swelling

According to Vladimir Makhlayuk, author of a collection about medicinal plants and their use in folk medicine, it is the black elderberry bark that has pronounced anti-edematous activity in various diseases kidney In this case, the drug acts selectively, without affecting the activity of the heart and without affecting the level of blood pressure.

Preparation

1. Grind the bark into powder, use a full teaspoon.
2. Pour four hundred milliliters of boiling water.
3. Leave to sit for three hours.
4. Strain.

The infusion should be taken up to four times a day, half a glass. It relieves swelling well, including those associated with insufficient activity kidneys and caused by cardiac disorders.

The medicinal properties of black elderberry are recognized by official medicine. Flowers and fruits of the plant are used to support immunity during colds, as an expectorant for diseases of the upper respiratory tract. Other parts of the plant are also in demand in folk medicine: bark, roots, leaves. They are used when inflammatory processes in the kidneys as a diuretic, and the leaves stimulate the healing of wounds and burns.