What is elderberry? Black elderberry: medicinal properties and uses. Black elderberry: medicinal properties, application, photo

Elderberry (and also sambuca, wasteland, squeegee and elderflower) is one of the most mysterious and controversial plants on the planet. Since ancient times, it was considered a cursed and dangerous bush, but in Andersen’s lyrical fairy tale, Mother Elderberry, who emerged from the teapot, is the embodiment of goodness and peace. In general, elderberry is actively used by storytellers - in fairy tales, flutes are made from it, and even Harry Potter’s wand was made from elderberry...

If you want to know what the fatal elderberry looks like, the photo will show a dense bush with delicate white-purple flowers and berry clusters that are similar to both bird cherry and. But don’t let the innocent appearance of the elderberry deceive you - it’s difficult to find another plant in the world with so many frightening signs, myths and stories associated with it.

What kind of elderberry is there?

Elderberry is a persistent and hardy plant; it can be found almost throughout the Northern Hemisphere and in some places in the Southern Hemisphere. The only areas that the mysterious bush has not occupied are Central and Southern Africa.

Along with sambuca, it is part of the adoxaceae family. Elderberry includes about 25 species - Wikipedia names them all in detail. Only 4 are popular in Russia:

• black;
• red;
• herbaceous;
• Canadian elderberry.

For decorative purposes, Canadian and red rosebush are grown in gardens, but for this you need to be a very risky person - the red varieties are quite poisonous. If you want to get a pretty one too hedge, and a home doctor in one, choose black elderberry - planting and care will be quite easy, and the benefits of the bush will be invaluable.

A magician in your garden

The strong and peculiar smell of elderberry leaves may cause some associations with evil spirits and villains, but for a passionate gardener this is a real salvation. The “aroma” of elderberry perfectly repels voracious insects from plums... Ivan Michurin himself, the “father” of Soviet apple and pear trees, stuck elderberry branches nearby and tied the trees around to preserve the harvest.

Growing elderberry in your own garden is very simple; the main thing is to choose the right one for it in advance. right place. If you are afraid of the smell, plant it near the toilet or cesspool, you want to protect the currant or - next to it. Elderberry loves the sun, although it can easily tolerate shade (but not for long!), It is afraid of acidic soil, so a year before planting it would be good to lim the area.

It is very important to water the black rose bush well and trim it on time. The lush and huge black elderberry is very rare; the photos mainly show graceful, neat bushes. You can prune it at any time in the summer to prevent the plant from providing too much shade. Elderberry is propagated traditionally - by seeds, layering, and cuttings. You can plant fresh buzovnik seeds in the fall - active shoots will appear in the spring.

The benefits of berries and flowers

In unofficial medicine, black elderberry has been used for a long time and effectively - medicinal properties deservedly attributed to berries, fragrant flowers, and leaves with bark. The secret is in the unique chemical composition. A variety of vitamins led by carotene, organic and free acids, resinous substances, sugars and much more.

Elderberry blossom is famous for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties - fragrant tea saves from colds, sore throat and bronchitis. Delicious elderberry gargles can successfully help with inflammation of the throat and gums.

Black berries, both fresh and dried, are a powerful tonic and healing remedy. They relieve colds, relieve fever and treat acute respiratory infections, and are also successfully used in complex therapy for hepatitis, ulcers and diabetes. Elderberry also helps with joint diseases and nerve damage - its beneficial properties will help with rheumatism and neuralgia.

Along with elderberry juice, it is a proven remedy for weakened eyes: it strengthens the eye vessels, treats night blindness and supports visual overload.

Elderberries also cleanse the body and gently stimulate a lazy bowel. A safe laxative from elderberry is prepared as follows: pour half a teaspoon of dried berries into 150 ml of boiled water. room temperature, leave for 12 hours. Strain and drink warm once a day.

What makes elderberry bark and leaves unique?

The bark and leaves of an ancient shrub - their beneficial properties are also actively used in home medicine.

Young elderberry leaves are a good analgesic and nerve soothing remedy, used for headaches, sleep disorders, and colds. If you are not afraid of the smell, then you will also appreciate the external healing effect: elderberry leaves treat burns, diaper rash, boils, and even hemorrhoids.

Elderberry bark and roots are an excellent basis for medicinal baths for rheumatism and gout. Classic recipe: Pour 2 large spoons of a mixture of roots, leaves and bark into a liter of boiling water, leave for 2 hours and pour into the bath. Course – 12-14 days, 15 minutes each.

Elderberry contraindications

Black elderberry – powerful medicine, but it also has enough contraindications. The main prohibition is pregnancy; it is also better not to give elderberry and delicacies made from it to children under 3 years of age. For colitis, individual intolerance and chronic stomach diseases, you should also forget about elderberry.

But the most dangerous is the red elderberry - its medicinal properties are very contradictory. Some sources claim that its healing power is more powerful than that of black elderberry: decoctions of red elderberry help with internal tumors, and lotions even treat persistent psoriasis. But most medical experts agree on one thing - the red type of elderberry is not only useful, but also poisonous plant, and the slightest mistake in the dose or prescription can seriously harm you.

Elderberry in cooking

Black elderberry has interesting feature– even ordinary goodies can be made from it therapeutic effect. Thus, elderberries boiled in honey are an excellent tonic, and fragrant elderberry tea can easily get you on your feet when you have a cold.

Both the berries and flowers of this ancient shrub are actively used in cooking. Fragrant flowers mixed into pie and pancake batter for flavor. Traditional elderberry berry preparations amaze with their variety: jam and confiture, pastille and puree, jelly and homemade juice.

In order for the legendary elderberry bush to be not only tasty, but also to bring you the greatest benefit, you need to use it correctly, especially since there are no special tricks here. If you are interested in black elderberry, you can use classic recipes: tea, decoction, for those with a sweet tooth – preserves, jams and jelly.

Elderberry Recipes

Home medicinal recipes usually use dried berries, decoctions and teas from elderberry fruits and berries. The famous cold-fighting elderberry tea prepares like this:

One table. Pour a spoonful of fragrant dried flowers into a glass of boiling water, leave for 20 minutes, strain. We drink a quarter glass half an hour before meals throughout the day.

You can make it more saturated vitamin berry tea:

Take equal parts of dried elderberries and rosehips and double more leaves currants and strawberries. Pour boiling water over it. Let it sit for 10 minutes.

Another interesting recipe - elderberry punch.

Take 250 ml of black elderberry juice and water, the juice of half a lemon, a stick and 2-3 umbrellas, sugar to taste. Boil, pour into mugs and add a slice of lemon.

For those who prefer ready-made recipes, we can recommend black elderberry syrup - it can be used to prevent colds during the cold period, and to treat flu, constipation, kidney problems, arthritis, and as a tasty sedative. You can find this syrup in specialty stores and health stores (both regular and online). It is produced in bottles from 0.33 to 0.5 liters and will cost approximately 300–550 rubles.

How to prepare elderberry?

Elderberry blooms in May-June, at which time the inflorescences are collected. Elderberry leaf bushes are dried on outdoors, less often in the oven, at a temperature of 30-35 degrees.

The fruits of the buzovnik appear in August-September; they are usually “cooked” in the air, in a dryer or oven, or less often - frozen.

Processed berries and flowers are placed separately in linen bags or containers and stored in a dark place. Dried elderberry does not lose its healing power 6 months. Jams and jams from buzovnik can be stored for 2-3 years.

A small tree or shrub, black elderberry belongs to the Honeysuckle family. About the medicinal properties of this perennial plant few know. Its berries and flowers contain many useful substances that can cure colds and many other diseases. That is why this plant widely used in folk medicine. But to get the desired effect, it is important to know all the secrets of using elderberry.

Black elderberry plant - description, photo

A small tree with a height of three to ten meters with a trunk up to 30 cm in diameter and a round shape. An adult bush has an ash-brown crown with deep longitudinal cracks. On young shoots, the darker bark is strewn with yellowish lentils. Inside the trunks of young bushes there is a soft white core.

The lanceolate leaves of the plant are pointed at the end, divided into five to seven lobes and have a serrated edge.

Large yellowish-white inflorescences of black elderberry are collected from numerous fragrant, small five-petaled flowers. They bloom in June and bloom until August. TO last month black-violet ripen in summer or by September juicy berries with a sweet and sour taste and brown seeds.

Black elderberry grows almost throughout Russia. In addition, the shrub is also found in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Elderberry trees can be found in clearings, forest clearings and on the banks of streams. But most often they grow near housing.

Composition and beneficial properties of flowers and berries

The composition of the fruits and buds of the plant includes polygamy of useful components:

• fatty oils and amino acids;
• mineral salts and resins;
• tannins and caffeic acid;
• chlorogenic, malic, acetic, ascorbic acid;
• carotene and essential oil;
• glucose and benzaldehyde;
• hydrocyanic acid and glycosides.

Due to their composition, parts of the black elderberry plant have the following medicinal properties:

Black elderberry - use in folk medicine

The beneficial properties of the plant make it possible to prepare various medicinal compositions from berries, leaves and fruits.

Berry decoctions

The healing drink is prepared from 30 g of fruits, which are poured with one liter of boiling water and kept over low heat for ten minutes. A decoction of berries is used in the following cases:

• to improve the functioning of the gallbladder and intestines;
• for anthelmintic and diuretic effects, the decoction is recommended to be taken before meals three times a day;
• for hepatitis and stomach ulcers, the decoction should be drunk as tea throughout the day.

Infusion of berries or leaves

To prepare the remedy, take one tablespoon of black elderberry fruits or leaves, pour a glass of boiling water and place on low heat. After 15 minutes of boiling, the infusion should stand for another 45 minutes, after which it is filtered and taken as directed.

An infusion of berries or leaves can be used:

Root decoction

A decoction is prepared from a tablespoon of crushed raw materials and a glass of boiling water. After boiling for 15 minutes, the broth can be filtered and taken:

• as a diuretic;
• for the treatment of pneumonia and bronchitis;
• to relieve toothache and headache;
• at diabetes mellitus;
• in the form of baths for erysipelas;
• as a lotion to relieve swelling.

Longevity drink made from black elderberry fruits

Healing drink made from elderberries and honey to preserve beauty and prolong life prepared since ancient times. For this you only need five tablespoons of honey and two tablespoons of elderberries. You can use both fresh and dry fruits.

Raw materials are poured in one liter cold water and put on low heat. The mixture should boil for five minutes. After this, the finished longevity drink can be drunk all day like tea.

Elderberry root decoction

To prepare the decoction, you will need to boil 30 g of crushed roots in half a liter of water. The product is used only warm for douching for the following diseases:

• inflammation of the female genital organs;
• colpitis;
• cervecitis.

You can douche two days after the cessation of menstruation, and two days before it begins, the procedures are stopped.

In addition to the medicinal remedies described above, other medicinal products can be prepared from parts of the bush. useful infusions and decoctions:

1. The bark infusion is prepared from 5 g of raw materials and a glass of boiling water. It should brew for at least five hours in a thermos. After this, the product is filtered and taken for kidney inflammation or swelling half a glass five times a day.
2. Infusion of elderflower, mallow and sage for gargling and oral cavity for inflammation of the mucous membrane prepared from 60 g of raw materials, which are taken in equal proportions. The flowers are poured with a glass of boiling water and infused for at least 20 minutes.
3. An infusion of flowers can be used for washing and wiping the face. It's easy to prepare. You just need to take a handful of flowers, pour two cups of boiling water over them and let them brew for twenty minutes.
4. Black elderberry juice is prepared from ripened fruits that need to be squeezed. Take it when rheumatism and nerve pain, after mixing with the same amount of honey. The dose depends on the patient's condition and can be from 30 to 200 ml. Take thirty minutes before meals.

Application in official medicine

Elderberry flowers are sold in pharmacies. Also, the raw materials of the bush are included in many choleretic, antirheumatic, hypoglycemic and laxative preparations. To treat with these drugs, you simply need to follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Contains sedative tablets and syrup Novo-passit includes flower extract. It is also available as part of a complex preparation Sinupret, which is available in the form of drops, syrup or tablets and is taken for pathologies of the paranasal sinuses.

Contraindications

Black elderberry berries are moderately poisonous, therefore contraindicated for use in large quantities. Toxins are destroyed after drying, and the fruits can be consumed without fear of health.

The use of infusions, decoctions and other remedies from black elderberry has contraindications:

• individual intolerance;
• chronic stomach diseases;
• enterocolitis and ulcerative colitis;
• diabetes;
• pregnancy and lactation.

Accept folk remedies from the plant is contraindicated for diabetes mellitus if the patient reduces sugar with the help of special medications. Fruits tend to lower sugar, and their simultaneous use with drugs can lead to hypoglycemia. Also contraindicated for use is childhood. It is not recommended to give decoctions and infusions to children under the age of twelve..

Collection and preparation

Since all parts of the plant are used for treatment, you should harvest a little of everything. This must be done in such a way that the beneficial properties are preserved. For this it is recommended:

The unpretentious plant black elderberry grows in almost every corner of Russia and has many useful properties. But when using decoctions, infusions or other medicinal products from elderberry, you must remember the contraindications, and it is best to consult a doctor.

In the article we discuss black elderberry. You will learn what beneficial properties the plant has, how to prepare medicinal raw materials, how to use berries and flowers, and what contraindications there are for use.

Black elderberry is a fruit-bearing woody shrub of the Adoxaceae family. People call it sambucus, elderberry, elderflower, witch's tree, squealer, treeless. Latin name: Sambucus nigra.

What does it look like

Appearance of black elderberry. The plant is branched, with a height of 3 to 6−10 meters. Young stems are green, which become brownish-gray with age, and are covered with many small yellowish tubercles.

The root system of young plants is taprooted and grows with age and becomes fibrous.

The leaves are large, have a complex structure, opposite, up to 30 cm in size. Each leaf consists of several elongated, pointed at the end leaflets of an oblong-ovate shape. Dark green leaves with outside and more light colors from the inside, sit on small petioles.

The inflorescences are large, multi-flowered, covered with small white flowers. yellow color. The flowers consist of five petals, five stamens fused with the corolla tube, and a short three-lobed ovary. Elderberry blooms from May to mid-June.

The fruits are berry-shaped drupes of a dark purple color, about 6 mm in diameter. The pulp of the berries is juicy and dark red in color. Fruiting period is August-September.

Where does it grow

Natural distribution area is the island territory of Portugal, North Africa, Türkiye, Iran, most European countries, South Caucasus. Elderberry was also introduced to New Zealand and successfully spread there.

In Russia it grows throughout the European part. Elderberry can be found in undergrowth or on the edges of deciduous and mixed forests, near roads and forest clearings.

In the European part of Russia, cultivation of the varieties "Aurea" and "Black Beauty" is practiced in country and personal plots. Planting and caring for plants in open ground even a novice gardener can do it. Elderberry is planted in lighted areas on slightly acidic or neutral soils. During the season it is necessary to water and trim, as the bush grows quickly.

For more information about black elderberry, see the following video:

Elderberry flowers and fruits

Elderberry contains many biologically active substances. In its medicinal properties it is similar to elderberry.

Flowers and fruits, less often bark, roots and leaves are harvested for medicinal purposes.

Chemical composition

• sambunigrin;
• essential oil;
• rutoside;
• choline;
• alkaloids;
• vitamin C;
• acetic acid;
• Apple acid;
• valeric acid;
• quinic acid;
• caffeic acid;
• tannins;
• resins;
• mineral salts;
• polysaccharides.

The fruits are rich in vitamin C, they also contain rutin, beta-carotene, essential oils, sambucin, tannins, tyrosine, amino acids and sugars.

Medicinal properties

Black elderberry has the following medicinal effects:

• relieves heat and inflammation;
• displays excess liquid from the body;
• has a diuretic effect;
• disinfects;
• calms the nervous system;
• promotes the removal of sputum;
• heals burns, ulcers and diaper rash;
• has an anthelmintic effect;
• has a laxative effect;
• helps fight viruses;
• strengthens the immune system.

It is also known that it is able to remove toxins, salts from the body heavy metals and radioactive substances.

Black elderberry is used in alternative medicine to treat the following diseases:

• ARVI and influenza;
• rheumatism;
• gout;
• inflammation of the genitourinary system;
• haemorrhoids;
• furunculosis;
• burns and diaper rash;
• angina;
• bronchitis;
• stomatitis;
• pharyngitis;
• conjunctivitis;
• neuralgia;
• chronic constipation.
• tuberculosis.

As a complex therapy, it is used in the initial stages of certain types of oncology. Black elderberry is used to treat prostate adenoma, stomach, lung and ovarian cancer.

How to collect

Elderberries are used in cooking and folk medicine. Flowers are collected and stored during the period of full flowering. The inflorescences are cut off completely and dried loosely on clean slate paper in sunny weather open air.

After drying, the flowers are separated from the stalks and crushed. Store raw materials in fabric bags in a dry, dark place. Shelf life - 2 years.

Leaves and young shoots are collected in the spring. Just like flowers, they are dried in the sun and stored in bags. Shelf life - 1 year.

The fruits are harvested in late August - early September. They are selected from rotten and burst berries, washed and dried. Dry the fruits in an oven or automatic dryer at a temperature of 60-65 degrees. Store in fabric bags. You can also freeze fresh elderberries. Shelf life - 6 months.

The bark is being harvested in early spring. It is cut with a knife and then removed upper layer and the remains of the trunk core. Dry at a temperature of 65−70 degrees. Shelf life - 3 years.

Roots for medicinal purposes are dug up in late autumn. They are cleared of soil, washed and dried at a temperature of 60-65 degrees. Dried roots grind into powder and store in a tightly closed container. Shelf life - 5 years.

How to use

Grown as medicinal, food and ornamental plant. In folk medicine, elderberry-based decoctions and infusions are prepared for oral administration, douching, lotions, poultices and rinses. Elderberry is also one of the ingredients of many folk recipes beauty.

You can buy ready-made berry syrup at the pharmacy. It is used as a laxative, immunostimulating, antitumor and blood purifying agent. The average price is 350 rubles per 100 ml.

How to make elderberry syrup yourself, watch the following video:

For a cold (flu)

In case of ARVI, it helps lower body temperature, cope with cough and sore throat, improves general state patient and shortens the period of illness. At the first sign of a cold, prepare and take a steam of dried elderberry flowers.

Napar for colds

Ingredients:

1. Black elderberry (flowers) - 2 tbsp.
2. Drinking water - 200 ml.

How to cook: Boil the water. Infuse elderflower flowers in a glass for 15 minutes. Filter the steam through a tea strainer.

How to use: Take the product warm in a glass 2-3 times during the day. Elderflower juice can also be taken with honey.

To treat the flu, take juice from fresh elderberries. It helps stop the development of a viral infection at the initial stage of the disease and alleviates the course of the disease if treatment is delayed.

Juice for flu

Ingredients:

1. Black elderberry (fresh or frozen fruits) - 2 kg.
2. Drinking water - 2 l.
3. Granulated sugar - 1 kg.
4. Wine vinegar - 100 ml.
5. Cloves, cinnamon - to taste.

How to cook: Rinse the berries and place them in an enamel pan. Fill them with water and boil for about 10 minutes. Then add the rest of the ingredients. Simmer the juice over low heat until foam stops forming. Fill sterilized glass bottles with hot juice and close tightly.

How to use: Drink 100 ml of juice 2-3 times a day. The juice can be diluted boiled water in a 1:1 ratio and sweeten with honey.

In gynecology

In gynecology, elderberry is used to treat inflammatory processes of the vagina and cervix. To treat colpitis, an infusion of dried elderberry roots is used.

Infusion for douching

Ingredients:

1. Black elderberry (root) - 30 g.
2. Pure water - 500 ml.

How to cook: Boil the water. Pour boiling water over the elderberry roots and let steep for two hours. Fold a gauze napkin in several layers and filter the infusion.

How to use: Carry out the douching procedure twice a day for a month.

For ovarian and cervical cancer, elderberry is used as an aid. To do this, prepare and take an infusion of flowers.

Infusion for cancer

Ingredients:

1. Black elderberry (flowers) - 1 tbsp.
2. Drinking water - 200 ml.

How to cook: Fill in dried flowers boiling water and let it brew for half an hour. Cool and filter the infusion through a tea strainer.

How to use: Take 100 ml of the product three times a day.

For constipation

To cleanse the intestines with chronic constipation, take an infusion of elderberry fruits.

Ingredients:

1. Black elderberry (dried fruits) - 10 g.
2. Drinking water - 200 ml.

How to cook: Boil water and cool it to room temperature. Pour water over the fruits and let the product sit for two hours.

How to use: Take 200 ml of the product once a day, preferably in the evening.

For disinfection

To disinfect and heal wounds, boils, minor burns and diaper rash, prepare a decoction of dried leaves and make lotions with it.

Ingredients:

1. Black elderberry (leaves) - 1 tbsp.
2. Pure water - 200 ml.

How to cook: Fill the raw material with water and simmer it over low heat for 15 minutes. Let sit for about 45 minutes. Filter through a gauze cloth. Bring the volume of the product to 200 ml with boiled water.

How to use: Fold clean gauze or cotton cloth in several layers. Soak in the broth, squeeze lightly and apply to the inflamed area for 5-10 minutes. Apply lotions several times a day.

Also, lotions with a decoction are used for hemorrhoids and anal fissures. In addition, the finished decoction is used for rinsing as a disinfectant for stomatitis and sore throat.

Elderberries in cooking

In cooking, berries are used to make compotes, jelly, sparkling lemonades, wine, jelly, berry puree and berry pies. For the winter, medicinal jam is prepared from elderberry fruits. It is used for flu and colds, and also as a general strengthening and tonic.

Jam recipe

You can make jam from fresh or frozen berries.

You will need:

• black elderberry (fruit) - 2 kg;
• granulated sugar - 2 kg.

How to cook:

1. Rinse the berries in running water and remove the damaged ones.
2. Place them in a saucepan, add sugar and stir gently.
3. Leave for an hour to release the juice.
4. Place the pan over low heat and cook the berries for about 30 minutes.
5. Place the hot jam into sterilized jars and close the lids tightly.

Calories:

Calorie content per 100 g of product - 235 Kcal.

Contraindications

Black elderberry has the following contraindications:

• ulcerative-erosive diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
• pregnancy;
• breast-feeding;
• diabetes insipidus;
• children up to 12 years of age.

Classification

Black elderberry has the following taxometric classification:

• department: Flowers;
• class: Dicotyledons;
• order: Teasaceae;
• family: Adoxaceae;
• genus: Elderberry;
• species: Black elderberry.

Varieties

Previously, the Elderberry genus was classified as a member of the Honeysuckle family or allocated to a separate Elderberry family. The genus includes about 25 species of shrubs, low trees and perennial herbs.

Among the most common types are the following types of elderberry:

• southern;
• Canadian;
• herbaceous;
• Javanese;
• black;
• red;
• Manchurian

Elderberry nigra infographics

Photo of black elderberry, its beneficial properties and uses
Infographics on black elderberry

What to remember

1. Black elderberry is used in folk medicine and cooking.
2. For medicinal purposes, elderberry flowers and fruits are harvested, and less commonly the bark, roots and leaves.
3. Elderberry-based medicinal products are used as an adjuvant for tuberculosis and oncology. Before use, you should consult your doctor.

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Classmates

Black elderberry is a deciduous shrub belonging to the Adoxaceae family. People call it elderflower, elderberry, wasteland, sambuca, and pischalnik. There is an opinion that the Latin name of the plant “sambucus” is directly related to sambucus - oriental musical instrument made from its wood. The Greeks and Romans grew it for medicinal use, and they also considered it a sacred plant that protected their home. In this article we will look at what elderberry is, learn about it beneficial properties, and also figure out how to use it.

In the Middle Ages, it was already used for medicinal purposes, in addition to hair. The Slavs believed that it should not be brought into the house or burned, and that lightning would not strike it. At the same time, Germany had its own opinion about what elderberry was. There they believed that this was a plant useful for witches. Anyone who cuts it down will fall into their power. Due to this, it was believed that a person who grows this plant near his house brings various troubles on his own head.

Description

So what is elderberry? This is a low tree or shrub with a trunk whose diameter reaches 30 cm, with fissured, ash-brown bark, with a rounded crown, with a huge amount yellow lentils located on still young branches. The plant lives about 60 years.

Elderberry has branched stems, with a white porous soft core and a woody thin shell. Its leaves are large, odd-pinnate, opposite, dark green, up to 30 cm long, and consist of several oblong-ovate pointed leaves. They are matte green above and grayish green below. Stipules appear on the leaves in the spring and then fall off.

Elderberry flowers are yellowish-white, fragrant, small, five-petaled, with a fused-petaled spicate corolla. They are collected in flat apical large corymbose panicles, reaching 20 cm in diameter. Sessile marginal flowers; all others have pedicels.

Elderberry grows in Madeira and the Azores, Tunisia and Algeria, North America, Turkey, Iran, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, Ukraine, Moldova, the Baltic States, Belarus, Russia, New Zealand.

Blank

So, we have learned what elderberry is, now let’s find out how it is prepared for subsequent use. Flowers, fruits, young branches, leaves, roots and bark of the plant are used in traditional medicine. Blooming ones are cut off in dry weather in May with whole inflorescences (before shedding, during the flowering period), placed loosely in baskets, since crumpled inflorescences darken when dried. At the same time, in plastic bag the flowers turn brown, acquiring a very unpleasant odor. This raw material is not suitable for drying. Then the inflorescences are folded up with branches on a layer of paper or fabric or hung above the paper or fabric (where the flowers will fall) in a ventilated place, in the shade.

When harvesting, black elderberry berries are cut in whole bunches, ripened in August. Unripe fruits are poisonous, while ripe ones are edible and quite safe, although they can only be consumed after cooking or drying. Dry by hanging in ventilated places.

To prepare juices or jam, black elderberry, the medicinal properties of which are described in this article, is cut off right before processing. Wash it with whole inflorescences, otherwise the juice flows out easily. Picked berries should not be stored unprocessed for more than two days, as they quickly become moldy. It is advisable to make the juice in a juicer; the seeds remain intact. After receiving it, the remains must be rubbed through a sieve, thus removing the numerous poisonous seeds.

In the spring, the bark is removed from two-year-old branches before sap flow begins. It is thoroughly cleaned of glands, separated from the core, and then dried in ovens and dryers. Store for no more than 3 years. Leaves are collected in spring. The roots of the plant are harvested in November, dried, and then ground into powder.

Compound

The flowers of the plant contain essential semi-solid oil, glycosides, flavonoids (quercetin, rutin), choline; coniine and sanguinarine alkaloids; ethyl isobutyl, carotene, organic acids: ascorbic, acetic, caffeic, valeric, malic, chlorogenic; paraffin-like, tannins and mucous substances, amines (isobutylamine, ethylamine, isoamylamine), sugars, pentosans, mineral salts, resins.

Black elderberry berries contain ascorbic and malic acids, rutin, carotene, B vitamins, chrysanthemum, sambucin, sugars (glucose, fructose), tannins, amino acids, organic acids, resins, pectins, anthocyanin dyes, traces of essential oils. Unripe fruits and leaves contain the glycoside sambunigrin, which breaks down into benzaldehyde, glucose and hydrocyanic acid.

Elderberry, whose properties have been actively used in folk medicine for many years, contains sambunigrin and fatty oil in its seeds. The leaves contain hexene and glycol aldehydes, traces of alkaloids, tannins, carotene, and ascorbic acid. The roots contain bitter and tannin substances, as well as saponins. Dry raw materials contain resins, sambunigrin, essential oil. The bark contains choline, betulin, triterpene compounds, essential oil, methyl ester, phytosterols, ceryl alcohol, organic acids, sugars, pectin and tannins.

Use in medicine

Black elderberry has very wide medicinal properties. It is used as a tonic, analgesic, antipyretic, antiviral, antifungal, expectorant, anthelmintic, sedative, astringent; with ascites; for better metabolism; for swelling, women's diseases, menopause; diabetes mellitus; headache; hepatitis; stomach ulcer; arthritis, polyarthritis; malaria; bronchitis; skin pigmentation disorders; skin diseases; blepharitis, conjunctivitis; hydrophobia; depression.

Use in cooking

Elderberry berries are used to make jam, marmalade, compotes, and jelly. In Slovakia and the Czech Republic, syrup is prepared from the flowers of the plant. Periodically, the juice or young inflorescences of its fruits are added to the grape must to improve the aroma and taste of the drink. Harmless dyes, violet and red, are obtained from ripe berries, which are used in the food industry.

Use in other areas

Elderberry is an ornamental plant, it is often grown in parks and gardens. It is notable for its ornamental foliage, elegant fruits, and lacy inflorescences. The wood of the plant is used in turning; Branches are suitable for protecting granaries from weevils; they are also used as an insecticide for bedbugs, gooseberry moths, and blackcurrant mites.

In addition, this plant repels rats and mice, therefore, elderberry is planted around cellars, barns, and sheds. The flowers are used in veterinary medicine for rheumatism and colds in horses and cattle. cattle. The juice of its fruits dyes wool and silk in different colors. They are also cleansed with the fruits of this plant.

Infusion of flowers

Black elderberry has very diverse medicinal properties. A medicinal infusion is prepared from it. To do this, pour 1 spoon into a glass hot water. Infuse the remedy for 20 minutes in a closed saucepan, strain, drink hot at night as a diaphoretic, astringent, anti-inflammatory, expectorant, choleretic, diuretic; for various colds (runny nose, cough, laryngitis, sore throat) and flu, as well as for diseases of the bladder, kidneys, edema, gout, rheumatism and neuralgia, skin rashes, hemorrhoids.

Fruit infusion

Take dried elderberries (10 g), pour them with a glass of chilled boiled water for 2 hours. Drink a glass once a day.

Infusion of bark

6 g of bark is infused in 500 ml of boiling water for 5 hours in a thermos. Use 5 times a day for edema, diseases of the bladder, kidneys, diabetes, dropsy.

Flower infusion: elderberry flowers

A spoonful of dried flowers is poured into a glass of water, heated in a steam bath under a lid for 15 minutes, and filtered. The volume is brought to the initial volume with boiled water. Drink warm before meals, a third of a glass twice a day for articular rheumatism, gout and arthritis, bronchial asthma and colds. The resulting product should be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. It is used in the form of lotions or poultices for burns, diaper rash, boils, and also as a gargle for inflammation of the mouth and throat.

Leaf decoction

Pour a glass of boiling water over a spoonful of leaves, boil for 5 minutes and leave until the product has cooled completely. Take 1 spoon three times a day for diabetes, rheumatism, ascites, gout, edema, etc.

Fruit decoction

1 spoon of fruit is boiled for 5 minutes in a glass of water in a steam bath. Leave for another 5 minutes, then filter. Drink as a diuretic, pain reliever, and also regulate metabolism.

Root decoction

A spoonful of crushed roots should be poured with a glass of water and heated for half an hour in a steam bath. After it has cooled, you need to strain and add to the initial volume of boiled water. warm water. Drink if you have diabetes.

Elderberry juice

You will need ripe black elderberry. The use of juice from it is indicated for cancer. The berries are placed in layers in a three-liter jar, alternating them with the same thickness of sugar. Fill the jar to the top. Infuse the product for a month. Drink the released juice three times a day, 1 spoon. During the treatment period, drink 150 ml of distilled water before meals.

Syrup

On an empty stomach, drink a glass of cold boiled water. Then drink a dessert spoon of the finished syrup. This remedy will help with mastopathy. Use the syrup twice a day at the same time. Drink until the syrup runs out in the jar. Treatment should be carried out for one and a half months, then repeated after another month. Three such courses are required per year.

Juice with alcohol

Harvested ripe medicinal elderberry does push-ups. You should get 250 ml of finished juice. It is mixed with the same amount of alcohol. Use incrementally three times a day from 1 to 40 drops, then vice versa. The product should be washed down with milk. If mastopathy does not go away, repeat the course of treatment after 3 weeks.

Sweatshop tax

Mix 2 tablespoons each of elderberry flowers, cordifolia linden flowers and high mullein thoroughly. Pour the mixture (2 tablespoons from the mixture) with a glass of hot water, leave for half an hour, then strain. Add water to a glass. Drink the product hot in 3 doses.

Bath from infusion of leaves and roots

Pour a liter of boiling water over 30 g of a mixture of ground elderberry roots and dry leaves, leave for 2 hours. The finished infusion is filtered and then poured into a bathtub filled with water. Treatment includes 10 daily procedures. You need to take a bath for 15 minutes before going to bed.

Leaves poultice

Boil 2 tablespoons of plant leaves in milk, then wrap them in gauze. Used externally for burns, boils, hemorrhoids and diaper rash.

Chamomile and elderflower poultices

You will need elderberry (recipes from it are given in this article) and chamomile. IN equal parts mix these herbs. Wrap them in gauze and then pour them over hot water and for rheumatism and gout, apply warm dressings.

When treating acne that occurs on the face, apply to the skin thin layer pressed fresh fruits of this plant.

Flower lotion

You will need a handful of elderflower flowers. They need to be poured with boiling water (half a liter) and left for 20 minutes. The resulting product must be filtered and stored in the refrigerator. Apply every day to the face in the morning and evening. This lotion perfectly rejuvenates and tones the skin.

Contraindications

Black elderberry, the properties of which were described in detail in the article above, is a poisonous plant. All its parts are poisonous, except for the shell and pulp of flowers and ripe berries. When treating, it is necessary to remember that the fruits of the plant are large quantities eating is prohibited. Doses of drugs should not be increased, as this may lead to various side effects: diarrhea, vomiting, frequent urination, etc. Its bark and roots can cause inflammation of the gastrointestinal mucosa in large doses.

You cannot take black elderberry preparations for enterocolitis (nonspecific ulcerative colitis), in addition, for chronic inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Her drugs are also contraindicated in children under 12 years of age, during pregnancy, individual intolerance, and feeding.

It is not always possible to distinguish black elderberry from red (more poisonous) elderberry. Therefore, if you are not completely sure that you are consuming the black variety, do not use the berries so that you do not experience severe poisoning.