As the Wall Street Journal.com reported in September, 2010, the government is launching research studies into a number of supplements, including black elderberry--Sambucol is one brand of black elderberry extract and the formal name for black elderberry trees is sambucus nigra.
While there is good evidence that elderberry is useful for fighting influenza, and perhaps as an antioxidant that may lower cholesterol, boost your immune system, and improve heart health, the government web site Medline Plus urges caution until larger human studies can be done.
Another important caution--elderberry should be consumed in juice or extract form. The bark, leaves, stem, and unripe fruit of the tree may contain cyanide, and thus be poisonous.
Influenza
Medline Plus gives elderberry a grade of "B," meaning there is "Good scientific evidence," for its use as a flu fighter. A study in Norway found that research subjects who drank elderberry juice recovered from influenza symptoms in about two days, significantly faster than a control group that took about six days to get over the flu.
Cholesterol and Heart Disease
A study cited in the "EJCN" journal revisited an older study into the effects of elderberry juice on cholesterol. The older study found that elderberry juice resulted in a significant decrease in "bad" cholesterol and an increase in "good" cholesterol, which would make it beneficial for heart health. The newer study did not show significant results, but researchers suggested that using a higher dose of elderberry might authenticate the original study.
Immune System
Elderberry may give your immune system a beneficial boost. The website of Dr. Ray Sahelian, an expert on supplements, notes that elderberry has long been used as food, and is an excellent source of vitamins A, B, and C. It contains significant amount of antocyanins, which not only give fruit its color, but are powerful antioxidants that can stimulate the immune system and perhaps have tumor-fighting properties.
Other Possible Benefits
Elderberry has been touted as a cold preventative, a supplement that can improve vision, a treatment for bronchitis and an anti-inflammatory. As the "Wall Street Journal" and "Medline Plus" both emphasize, more research needs to be done on these and other claims for elderberry extracts and juice in order to substantiate them.
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