Elder
Botanical Description & Habitat
Sambucus nigra
Family
Caprifoliaceae
Common Names
| Black elder | Blackberried European elder |
| Boor tree | Bounty |
| Ellanwood | Ellhorn |
| European elder | German elder |
Habitat
Europe and North Africa; found in hedges, woods, and waste places.
Description
The elder is a small tree growing 10-30 feet in height; it has light brown bark near the bottom of the trunk, and gray-white bark nearer the top. The bright green leaves are oval, pointed, and opposite, with serrated edges.
In the early summer, tiny ivory or yellow-white flowers bloom in small clusters. During June and July, the flowers develop into berries that ripen to purple-black.
Medicinal Parts
Flowers - dried, collected during the early summer
Berries, Root, bark, young shoots and leaves
Historical Properties & Uses
All parts of the elder are used, but the root and bark are most often employed in botanical medicine. High in mucilage, these parts are used as gargles to soothe the pain and irritation of pharyngitis, tonsillitis, and stomatitis.
In small doses the root and bark are laxatives. In large doses they are purgative. Tannic acid-like components contribute to the bark effect on urinary and kidney problems.
The flowers are said to be diaphoretic, used to promote sweating during colds and fevers. The fruit is used as an aperient. Elder is also said to be diuretic, antispasmodic, antirheumatic, and in large doses, emetic. However, little research has been done to verify any of its properties.
Elder flower has approval status by the German Commission E for colds.
References:
Blumenthal, M (Ed.): The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. American Botanical Council. Austin, TX. 1998.
Method of Action
The flowers of the elder have been used as flavoring agents and in perfumes. Many food and cosmetic products contain some essence of the flowers. There are provisions hydrocyanic acid not exceed 25 ppm or 0.0025% in any of these products.
Elder flowers and leaves contain may potentially active glycosides, essential oils, terpenes, sterols and flavonoids, but there has not been much research done on either these parts of the plant or on the bark and root.
An extract of unspecified parts of the elder have been shown to have fairly good antibiotic properties against both gram negative and gram positive bacteria.
Similarly, in other studies using an extract of unspecified parts of elder, the herb showed strong inhibition of influenza virus A/PR8 multiplication in the chick embryo.
Drug Interactions & Precautions
Known Interactions
Since the diuretic action of elder increases the renal excretion of sodium and chloride, this herb may potentiate the hyperglycemic and hyperuricemic effects of glucose-elevating agents. Elder may also potentiate the action of antihypertensive drugs, ganglionic or peripheral adrenergic blocking drugs, tubocurarine, and, to a lesser degree, norepinephrine. It should also be noted the effects of dopamine and diuretic agents are additive.
When taken in conjunction with corticotropin (ACTH) or corticosteroids, this diuretic is more prone to produce hypokalemia. Furthermore, an initial dose of the antihypertensive captopril may cause a severe drop in blood pressure within three hours if a strong diuretic is being used.
The use of a diuretic such as elder may require dosage adjustments of antidiabetic drugs. In addition, the diuretic action of elder may reduce renal clearance of lithium.
Laxative-induced diarrhea may result in decreased absorption of isoniazid. The same is true with sulfisoxazole, but this appears to be a clinically unimportant interaction effect.
The tannin in elder may potentiate the antibiotic activity of echinacea. The tannin in tea made from the herb may be inactivated by the addition of milk or cream.
Comments
Due to the presence of blood serum platelet aggregation inhibitors, such as linolenic acid, elder may potentiate the effects of anticoagulant drugs such as heparin.
Prolonged use of this diuretic herb may affect certain laboratory test results, such as electrolytes (especially potassium and sodium), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), uric acid, glucose, and protein bound iodine (PBI).
The strong diuretic action of elder may produce digitalis toxicity if digitalis glycosides are being used. In conjunction with aminoglycoside antibiotics, the herb may also produce ototoxicity; combined with alcohol, barbiturates or narcotics, it may produce orthostatic hypotension.
Elder may enhance the nephrotoxicity of cephaloridine and, in conjunction with indomethacin, may produce natriuretic effects.
It should be noted the laxative-induced increase in speed of intestinal emptying time may result in decreased absorption of vitamin K and/or anticoagulants.
Safety Factors & Toxicity
Toxicity from elder is rare, but excess use could lead to poisoning from the hydrocyanic acid content. This acid is present in the plant in the form of sambunigrin at a concentration of 0.042% according to one source.
Elder flower has approval status by the German Commission E.
References:
Blumenthal, M (Ed.): The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. American Botanical Council. Austin, TX. 1998.
Preparation & Administration
Three times a day
Dried flowers
2-4 grams
Tea
made from 1 tsp dried flowers
Fluid extract
1:1 in 25% alcohol, 2-4 ml
This herb has approval status by the German Commission E.
Recommended daily dosages for Elder flower in Germany are as follows:
10 - 15 g herb.
1.5 - 3 g fluid extract.
2.5 - 7.5 g tincture.
References:
Blumenthal, M (Ed.): The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. American Botanical Council. Austin, TX. 1998.
Note: This Herbal Preparation information is a summary of data from books and articles by various authors. It is not intended to replace the advice or attention of health care professionals.
References
Am Hospital Formulary Service. Am Soc of Hosp Pharm. Wash, D.C.
Anonymous: Poison from elderberry juice - California. MMWR 1984, 33(13):173.
Blumenthal, M (Ed.): The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. American Botanical Council. Austin, TX. 1998.
Bressler, R., M.D. Bogdonoff & G.J. Subak-Sharpe. 1981. The Physicians Drug Manual. Doubleday & Co, Inc. Garden City, NY. 1213 pp.
Chambers, G., R.J. Kerry & G. Owen. 1977. Lithium used with a diuretic. British Medical Journal, 2. pp. 805-806.
Chiles, V.K. 1968. Drug interactions and the pharmacist. Canadian Pharaceutical Journal, 101(7). pp. 241-247.
Committee on Pharmocopaeia of the Am Institute of Homeopathy, The Homeopathic Pharmacopaeia of the United States. 8th ed., Vol 1. Otis Clapp and Son, Agents, Boston, l981.
D'Amico, M.L. Richere sulla presenza di sostanze ad azione antibiotica nelle piante superiori. Fitoterapia, 26(1), 77-79, 1950.
De Martinis, M., et.al. Milk thistle (silybum marianum) derivatives in the therapy of chronic hepatopathies. Clin. Ter. 94(3). pp. 283-315.
Dodds, M.G. & R.D. Foord. 1970. Enhancement by potent diuretics of renal tubular necrosis induced by cephaloridine. British Journal of Pharmacology, 40. p. 227.
Drug package insert (FDA approved official brochure) and other labeling based on sponsored clinical investigations and New Drug Application data.
Fleisher, N., et.al. 1969. Chronic laxative-induced hyperaldosteronism and hypokalemia stimulating Bartter's syndrome. Annals of Internal Medicine, 70(4). pp. 791-798.
Goldner, M.G., H. Zarowitz & S. Akgun. 1960. Hyperglycemia and glycosuria due to thiazide derivatives administered in diabetes mellitus. New England Journal of Medicine, 262(Feb 2). pp. 403-405.
Goldfinger, p. 1969. Hypkalemia, metabolic acidosis, and hypocalcemic tetany is a patient taking laxatives. Journal of the Mount Sinai Hospital, 36(3-4). pp. 113-116.
Goodman, L.S. & A. Gilman. 1975. Pharm Basis of Thera. MacMillan, NY.
Hansten, P.D. 1969. Oral anticoagulant drug interactions. Hospital Form. Management, 4(1). pp. 20-22.
Hansten, P.D. 1979. Drug Interactions, 4th ed. Lea & Febiger, Phila.
Hurtig, H.I. & W.L. Dyson. 1974. Lithium toxicity enhanced by diuresis. New England J of Med, 290(Mar 28). pp. 748-749.
Hyde, F.F. British Herbal Pharmacopoeia. British Herbal Medicine Assoc: West Yorks, England, 1983
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Lin, CN & Tome, WP: Antihepatoxic principles of Sambucas formosana. Planta med. 1988, 54(3):223.
List, P. & L. Hoerhammer. 1969-1976. Hagers Hanbuch der Pharmazeutischen Praxis, vols. 2-5. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.
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Multimedia
Sambucus nigra
Elderberry 2.
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