Black Elderberry

Sambucus Nigra, Elder, Elderberry, Black Elder, European Elder, European Elderberry, European Black Elderberry

Distributed in the European part, in Ukraine, Belarus, and in the Caucasus. Forms thickets in places. Can be cultivated as an ornamental plant.

It is a shrub or small tree of the honeysuckle family. up to 10 m high. The bark is light brown. Young shoots are green further brownish-gray. Leaves opposite, compound. blooms in May – July.

The flowers are small, fragrant, creamy white, collected in dense flat panicles, usually having 5 main branches. The fruit is a black-purple drupe. Ripens in August – September and remains on the plant after the leaves have fallen. unripe berries plants are poisonous.

Medicinal raw materials are flowers and berries, sometimes bark. Flowers are harvested during flowering, berries – in autumn, bark – in summer. Flowers are cut with a knife or secateurs, loosely placed in baskets.

and quickly dry in the attic or under a canopy, laying out a thin layer. Store in tightly closed glass jars or tins. boxes 3 years. Berries are harvested at full maturity. Clusters are plucked or cut with secateurs and put in baskets.

Raw materials are dried in the open air and dried in a dryer at temperatures up to 60 °C. Store in bags in a ventilated room.

The flowers contain the glycoside sambunigrin, mucous substances, rutin, ascorbic acid, traces of essential oil, choline, malic, valeric and other acids. Found in berries ascorbic acid, amino acids, carotene, and tannins.

Various parts of the black elderberry have diaphoretic, diuretic, astringent, laxative, anti-inflammatory and disinfectant properties.

Black elderberry preparations are used orally for inflammation of joints of various origins, respiratory diseases tract, kidney, cough, flu, sore throat, gout, rheumatism, flowers elderberries – in the form of poultices and lotions for inflammation of the trigeminal and sciatic nerves, myositis, burns, boils, diaper rash, inflammation of hemorrhoids, decoction – for rinsing with inflammation of the mouth and throat.

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