|
nature direct 2u
Agrimony Glossary |
Elder |
|
Sambucus nigra
Numerous species of elder or elderberry grow in Europe and North America. Only those with blue/black berries are medicinal. Species with red berries are not medicinal. The elder is considered a great and powerful plant, and is a "cure all" for everything from toothache to the plague. The leaves, flowers, berries, bark and roots all have activity of varying degrees and different uses. All parts of the plant have been used at one time or another to make everything from wine to flutes.
The flowers and berries have a cool and drying energy and a bitter taste. The bark is hot and drying with a bitter taste. The leaves and roots were used externally to promote healing of bones, sprained muscles and ligaments, bruises and hemorrhoids. The bark, leaves, and roots are not used often today due to their potential toxicity. The stems of the elder should not be used at all, because they contain cyanide. The
active constituents in elder are anthocyanin, B-complex vitamins,
volatile oil, viburnic acid, tannic acid, sambucine, mucilage, vitamins
A and C, carbohydrates, potassium, magnesium, calcium and sodium salts,
sambunigrin, tyrosin and eldrin. The leaves have an unpleasant odour when bruised, which is supposed to be offensive to most insects, and a decoction of them is sometimes used by gardeners to keep caterpillars off delicate plants. The inner bark as well as the leaves are employed, by village herbalists, for making an ointment, and the flowers serve for fomentations, or are made into a medicinal tea. Today the tea of dried flowers is commonly used as a first choice in treating feverish colds and flu, because it promotes sweating and reduces congestion due to the diaphoretic, astringent and expectorant actions. The flowers also have alterative properties, which make them useful as a blood detoxifier. Elder flower tea may also be used externally to treat hemorrhoids, boils, tumors, sunburn and rashes. The flowers are anti-inflammatory when used externally. A cold infusion of elder flowers can be used to treat sore or inflamed eyes. Elder flower water was a common article among every lady’s toiletries to keep complexions clear and remove unwanted freckles. It was also used to mix with other medicines and as an eye and skin lotion.
Every part of the plant has been used for dying cloth. The bark and roots were used as ingredients for black dye, the leaves will dye green and the berries will dye blue, lilac or violet depending on the mordant used. The stems were used to make flutes or blowguns once the pith was pushed out. Few other plants have so many uses as the elder.
DISCLAIMER: This page is intended for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for accurate diagnosis and treatment by a qualified health care professional. The author is neither a chemist nor an herbalist and has had no medical training whatsoever. The content herein is the product of research, not practical experience. |
Elder
has a long history of use dating back to the 5th century BC. Hippocrates
wrote about elder and King's American Dispensatory lists it as
diaphoretic and gently stimulating as a warm infusion and diuretic,
alterative and cooling as a cold infusion.
The
ripe berries of the elder are a dark blue-black and a good source of
vitamins A & C. They can be used to make juice, jam, jelly, syrup
and wine. Dried elder berries may be used as a substitute for raisins in
cooking. They have the weakest activity of all the parts of the plant,
but make a good winter tonic to strengthen the body against colds.