Arthritis, a chronic inflammatory condition affecting your joints, can cause pain, stiffness, swelling and limited range of motion. The two most common types are osteoarthritis -- caused by deterioration of cartilage between your bones -- and rheumatoid arthritis, which arises from an immune system malfunction. Your doctor may prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs or corticosteroids -- often along with physical therapy -- to alleviate your symptoms. Natural healers sometimes recommend elderberry extracts to ease arthritis. Although clinical research is lacking, laboratory studies support the anti-inflammatory effect of black elderberry's constituents. Consult your doctor before taking black elderberry.
Features
Elderberry -- botanically known as Sambucus nigra L. and also called black elderberry -- is a deciduous shrub native to Europe and Asia but found in the United States as well. Elderberry shrubs feature leaves arranged in opposing pairs with five to seven leaflets; the flowers are flat and white. Unripe berries are green, then red and black when fully ripened. Extracts from the flowers and berries have been used for centuries in herbal medicine for their laxative and diuretic effects, as well as for treating colds and influenza. Elderberry extracts have also been employed in poultices to promote wound healing and ease inflammation. Present-day herbalists may recommend black elderberry to treat colds and flu, headache, constipation and inflammatory conditions such as arthritis.
Constituents and Effects
The essential oil of black elderberry contains fatty acids and alkanes, along with triterpenes, which include ursolic acid, oleanic acid and betulic acid. Black elderberries contain four different anthocyanins -- plant pigments with antioxidant effects -- as well as the antioxidant flavonoid quercetin.
Drugs.com -- which provides peer-reviewed medical information to consumers -- reports that elderberry strongly stimulates the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines, and has potent antioxidant effects in laboratory studies. Better Medicine reports that the antioxidants in elderberry have a beneficial effect on diseases associated with oxidative damage and inflammation, and advises elderberry for rheumatic pain.
Research
In a study published in 2006 in "Nitric Oxide," researchers found anthocyanins suppressed the production of nitric oxide, which plays a major role in creating inflammatory response. Although the study was performed using blackberry extract, the cyanidin-3-0-glucoside responsible for the effect is also found in elderberries. Animal research supports the anti-inflammatory effect of ursolic acid, another elderberry constituent. In a study published in 2006 in "Pharmacological Research," researchers found that oral administration of ursolic acid inhibited the presence of pro-inflammatory cytokines -- including interleukin-2, interferon-gamma and tumor necrosis factor -- in the blood of arthritic mice.
Usage and Considerations
You can make black elderberry tea by steeping 1/2 to 1 tsp. of dried elderberry flowers in 1 cup of boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes, then cooling and straining; you may drink three cups a day. Syrup of black elderberry extract can be taken in dosages of 2 tsp. to 2 tbsp. twice a day. Only the flowers and ripe berries have healing properties; the elderberry bark, leaves, seeds and stems are toxic. Elderberries should be eaten cooked; Drugs.com warns that raw berries may cause nausea. Large doses of elderberries can cause digestive disturbances such as nausea and vomiting; dizziness, numbness and stupor have also been reported. Elderberry can interact with prescription medications. Consult your doctor before taking elderberry. Don't take elderberry if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
References
- Drugs.com: Complete Elderberry Information
- Blue Shield Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Elderberry
- Better Medicine; Elderberry; Staff; 2011
- "Nitric Oxide"; Inhibition of Nitric Oxide Biosynthesis by Anthocyanin Fraction of Blackberry Extract; C. Pergola et al.; August 2006
- "Pharmacological Research"; Amelioration of Adjuvant-Induced Arthritis by Ursolic Acid Through Altered Th1/Th2 Cytokine Production; Sheikh Fayaz Ahmad et al.; March, 2006
- MayoClinic.com; Arthritis; Mayo Clinic Staff; January 2011
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