Traditionally used for: Cold and flu relief; Seasonal allergies / hay fever; Sinus congestion. Most commonly used to relieve cold and flu symptoms.
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What is elderberry? Elderberry is a small, dark purple berry that is commonly used for medicinal purposes. It is often used in teas, syrups, and supplements to help prevent and treat various health conditions. How does it work? Elderberry contains compounds called anthocyanins and other flavonoids that are thought to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, as well as the ability to stimulate the immune system. These compounds are believed to help boost the body's natural defense against illness and disease. What forms does it come in? Elderberry is available in many different forms, including teas, syrups, capsules, gummies, and lozenges.
Helps
What does Elderflower help with? Elderflower is the creamy white blossom of the elder tree. People across Europe have brewed it as a warm tea for colds and fevers for hundreds of years. It is also breathed in as steam, or cooled and used as a skin wash. The library grades the human evidence for elderflower as D overall. Almost everything on file is long tradition, plus some lab work on its plant compounds. No human trial of elderflower is on file for any use below. Cold and flu symptoms Long traditional use · not yet tested in trials — centuries of European use, plus lab work on its compounds; no human trial on file. Herbalists gave warm elderflower tea at the first sign of a cold. It was used to ease a raw throat and a stuffy nose, and to bring on light sweating. Lab work has looked at compounds in the flower that calm swelling, but no human trial is on file. Evidence grade insufficient · Traditional tier T2 Colds and other upper airway infections Long traditional use · not yet tested in trials — lab testing of flavonoids and chlorogenic acid; tradition; no human trial on file. In lab testing, elderflower's flavonoids and chlorogenic acid acted against viruses and germs. A test tube is not a person, so this does not tell you how an illness will go. Tradition holds that it makes such infections shorter and milder, and no trial on file has tested that. It is often paired with elderberry, which is a separate remedy with its own file. Evidence grade insufficient · Traditional tier T2 Fever Long traditional use · not yet tested in trials — traditional European use as a sweating herb; no human trial on file. Elderflower is a classic sweating herb, called a diaphoretic in old texts. Warm tea was given at the first sign of fever, since sweating is one way the body sheds heat. Whether it changes a measured fever in people has not been tested in any trial on file. Evidence grade insufficient · Traditional tier T2 Blocked, heavy sinuses Long traditional use · not yet tested in trials — traditional steam and tea use, plus the mucilage content of the flower; no human trial on file. The blossom holds mucilage, a slick plant gel, along with compounds studied in labs for calming swelling. Tradition used the tea to coat and soothe sore nasal linings. Steam from the hot tea was also breathed in to open the nose. No human trial on file has measured either effect. Evidence grade insufficient · Traditional tier T2 Puffy, red or irritated skin Long traditional use · not yet tested in trials — topical tradition only; no human study on file. Cooled elderflower tea was used as a compress or a face wash. It was laid under the eyes for swelling, and on skin that was red or mildly sore. This rests on long use alone, with no human study on file. Evidence grade insufficient · Traditional tier T2 Hay fever and pollen season sneezing Long traditional use · not yet tested in trials — based on quercetin content; no human trial of elderflower for hay fever on file. Elderflower holds quercetin, a plant compound studied for its effect on allergy cells. Some people drink the tea through pollen season for sneezing, itchy eyes and a runny nose. No human trial of elderflower for hay fever is on file, so this stays a claim rather than a finding. Evidence grade insufficient · Traditional tier T2 Mild bloating from held fluid Long traditional use · not yet tested in trials — traditional use as a gentle diuretic; no human trial on file. Elderflower was used as a mild diuretic, meaning a herb that makes you pass more urine. Traditional use covers minor puffiness and bloating, including around the period. No human trial on file has measured how much fluid, if any, it shifts. Evidence grade insufficient · Traditional tier T2 Day-to-day immune support Long traditional use · not yet tested in trials — lab work on its antioxidant flavonoids only; no human trial on file. Elderflower is rich in flavonoids, which act as antioxidants in lab tests. The idea is that they shield imm
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