Elderberries at a Glance:

Botanical name: Sambucus nigra

Native range: Europe, North America, and parts of Asia

Traditional systems: Western Herbalism, TCM (modern use), Ayurveda (modern use)

Primary actions: Antiviral, immunomodulating, cooling, fever-reducing

Cautions: Raw berries are toxic; may interact with immunosuppressant drugs; use with caution in autoimmune disorders.

Elderberry (Sambucus nigra – European Black Elderberry and Sambucus canadensis – American Elderberry) has long been used in culinary and medicinal applications. Elderberry is a widely distributed plant and thus is under no threat of endangerment. It is a robust plant that can thrive in a variety of conditions. This article will focus on the use of the berries in herbalist traditions.

Sustainable practices for elderberry are still important nonetheless, due to the growing popularity of the plant for medicinal purposes.

Important Note: Raw elderberries are toxic and should never be consumed. Elderberry extracts, syrups, and other products are safe because the berries have been properly cooked or processed, which neutralizes the harmful compounds. These concentrated forms are powerful and should be used with care, short-term, and ideally under professional guidance.

Ethical and Sustainable Harvesting

We’ve touched on ethical and sustainable harvesting practices in another article. However, ethical harvesting practices are crucial for protecting wild elderberry populations.* Here are some key principles:

Don’t Over-Harvest: A good rule of thumb is to only take what you need and never harvest all of the berries or flowers from a single plant or patch. Birds and other wildlife rely on elderberries for food, so leave plenty behind for them to forage. It is common to leave at least 50% of the harvestable fruit.
Harvest the Right Parts: Only harvest the ripe berries and flowers. The leaves, stems, bark, and roots of elderberry plants contain toxic compounds (cyanogenic glycosides) and should not be consumed.
Avoid Unsafe Locations: Do not harvest from plants along roadsides, as they may have been exposed to pollutants from vehicle exhaust or chemical sprays.
Minimize Damage to the Plant: When harvesting, cut the entire cluster of berries or flowers (the cyme) rather than pulling individual berries or tearing branches. This helps to protect the plant from damage and disease.
Pruning for Health: Proper pruning can actually be beneficial for elderberry plants, as it encourages new growth and can improve fruit yield in the following season. This is a common practice in commercial elderberry farms.

The Rise of Commercial Cultivation

The growing demand for elderberry products has led to a significant increase in commercial cultivation, particularly in the United States and Europe. This shift from wild foraging to commercial farming has a few implications for sustainability:

Reduced Pressure on Wild Populations: As more elderberry products come from cultivated sources, it can reduce the pressure on wild elderberry plants, allowing them to thrive and support local ecosystems.
Organic and Pesticide-Free Production: Organic and pesticide-free elderberry production is healthier for consumers and the earth. Many consumers are willing to pay a premium for this preference. This encourages sustainable agricultural practices to continue to grow.
Focus on Regional Varieties: Commercial growers are increasingly propagating and cultivating regional varieties that are well-suited to local microclimates and more resistant to pests and diseases. This can improve the resilience of cultivated crops.

As popularity of elderberry products grows, ethical and sustainable growing and harvesting practices will become even more important.

Elderberry Fruit in Western Herbalism

From a Western herbalism perspective, the fruit of the elderberry (Sambucus nigra) is primarily used for its antiviral and immunomodulating actions, making it a staple for addressing colds and flu. Its energetics are considered cooling and moistening, which makes it especially suitable for “hot” and “dry” conditions that often accompany these illnesses, such as fevers and dry, irritated coughs. The cooling effect helps to reduce excess heat, while its moistening nature soothes inflamed mucous membranes in the respiratory tract. Historically, elderberry syrups and wines were prepared to ward off winter ailments, and today, it’s commonly found in syrups, tinctures, and gummies, serving as a popular herb with promising but still developing research for immune support. The synergy between its potent medicinal actions and its soothing energetics makes elderberry a go-to herb for both acute symptom relief and general immune strengthening during the colder months.

Primary Medicinal Actions

In Western herbalism, elderberry is recognized for several key medicinal actions:

Antiviral: In vitro and clinical evidence suggests elderberry extracts can reduce viral infectivity and shorten duration of some influenza/respiratory infections; proposed mechanisms include interference with viral attachment and replication.
Immunomodulating: Supports and modulates the immune system.
Diaphoretic: Induces sweating, which helps to cool the body and reduce fever.
Mild Laxative: Supports bowel regularity.

Specific Body Systems Influenced

Elderberry primarily influences the following body systems:

Respiratory System: This is the primary system elderberries are used for, with applications for colds, flus, coughs, and fevers. They are known to soothe inflamed mucous membranes, ease sore throats, and clear congestion.
Immune System: The berries are a major ally for the immune system, helping to strengthen its response to infections. Some laboratory studies suggest elderberry extracts may increase cytokine activity, though human evidence is mixed. This potential immune effect may partly explain its traditional use for colds and flu.
Digestive System: Elderberry fruit has a secondary influence on the digestive system due to its mild laxative properties.

Elderberry Fruit in Traditional Chinese Medicine

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) analyzes herbs based on their energetic properties, which include their nature (temperature), flavor, and the specific meridians and organs they influence. Elderberry fruit is not a classical herb found in the TCM materia medica, as it originates from a different geographic and cultural tradition. However, like other non-native herbs, it has been integrated into modern TCM practice and analyzed according to TCM principles. These classifications are modern extrapolations, not part of classical TCM texts.

TCM Properties of Elderberry Fruit

Based on this modern classification, elderberry fruit is generally considered to have the following properties:

Nature (Temperature): Cool (Liáng 凉). This is a key property that distinguishes it from pungent, warming herbs like ginger. Its cooling nature makes it suitable for addressing “hot” conditions, such as fevers and inflammation.

Flavor: Sweet (Gān 甘) and Sour (Suān 酸).

Sweet: This flavor is associated with nourishing, tonifying, and harmonizing actions. It is said to nourish the Yin and Qi, soothe spasms, and reduce pain.
Sour: This flavor is associated with astringent and consolidating actions. It helps to prevent leakage of fluids and energy and can be used to stop excess sweating or diarrhea.

Meridians and Organs Entered

Based on its nature and flavor, elderberry fruit is said to enter the following meridians and organs:

Lung (Fèi 肺): The Lung system governs the defensive Qi (Wei Qi) and the respiratory tract. Elderberry’s cooling and moistening properties, along with its ability to address external pathogens, make it a key herb for the Lung meridian. It helps to clear heat from the lungs, soothe coughs, and support the body’s defense against respiratory infections.
Kidney (Shèn 肾): While a less direct influence, the Kidney system is the root of Yin and governs water metabolism. The fruit’s sour flavor and ability to consolidate may support Kidney Yin, helping to prevent the loss of body fluids associated with fevers.
Large Intestine (Dà Cháng 大肠): The Large Intestine is paired with the Lung and is responsible for waste elimination. The mild laxative effect of elderberry fruit aligns with the functions of this meridian, helping to clear heat and toxins from the body.

Traditional Functions (TCM-style) and Applications

Within the TCM framework, the functions of elderberry fruit align with its Western herbal uses but are described in a different vocabulary:

Clears Heat and Releases the Exterior (Qīng Rè Jiě Biǎo 清热解表): This is a primary function, especially in the context of colds and flu. The cooling nature of elderberry helps to clear “heat-toxins,” which can manifest as fevers and inflammation. Its diaphoretic action helps to “release the exterior” by expelling pathogenic factors from the body through sweating.
Resolves Toxicity (Jiě Dú 解毒): This function is directly related to its potent antiviral properties. Elderberry is used to address “heat-toxins” that cause infections and inflammation, particularly those affecting the respiratory system.
Moistens the Lungs and Stops Coughs (Rùn Fèi Zhǐ Ké 润肺止咳): This function relates to the fruit’s sweet and moistening nature. It is used to soothe dry, irritated coughs and to provide moisture to the Lung system, which is often affected by dryness during illnesses.
Astringes and Consolidates (Shōu Liǎn 収斂): The sour flavor of elderberry gives it an astringent property, which can help to prevent the loss of fluids. This is useful in cases of excessive sweating associated with fever.

Elderberry Fruit in Ayurvedic Medicine

Similar to many other herbs not native to India, elderberry (Sambucus nigra) is not a traditional Ayurvedic herb. However, modern practitioners of Ayurveda have begun to incorporate it into their practices by analyzing its properties through the lens of Ayurvedic principles. This classification is a modern adaptation, and elderberry is not found in traditional Ayurvedic texts.

Ayurvedic Properties of Elderberry Fruit

From a contemporary Ayurvedic perspective, elderberry is categorized as follows:

Rasa (Taste): Sweet (Madhura) and Astringent (Kashaya).

Sweet: This taste is nourishing, cooling, and building. It is associated with tonification, strengthening tissues, and pacifying Vata and Pitta.
Astringent: This taste is characterized by a “puckering” sensation. It is cooling and drying and helps to stop bleeding, consolidate tissues, and absorb excess moisture.

Virya (Potency/Energy): Cooling (Shita). This refers to the herb’s primary energetic effect on the body. Elderberry’s cooling nature helps to reduce heat and inflammation.
Vipaka (Post-digestive Effect): Sweet (Madhura). This is the final effect of the herb on the body after digestion. The sweet vipaka indicates that the herb will have a nourishing and strengthening effect on the tissues and that it will increase Kapha while reducing Vata and Pitta.

Impact on the Doshas

Based on its properties, elderberry has a clear impact on the three doshas:

Vata (Air & Ether): Elderberry’s sweet taste and cooling energy are excellent for pacifying Vata. It helps to moisten dryness and can be used for Vata-related conditions like a dry cough or restlessness. However, its astringent quality can be slightly drying, so it should be used in moderation to avoid increasing Vata if used in excess.
Pitta (Fire & Water): Elderberry is very effective at balancing Pitta. Its cooling potency and sweet taste help to calm excess heat, making it beneficial for Pitta-related conditions such as fevers, inflammation, and irritability associated with illness.
Kapha (Earth & Water): Elderberry can slightly increase Kapha due to its sweet taste and moistening properties. While it’s a great herb for clearing heat and supporting the immune system, its use in individuals with Kapha imbalances—such as those with excess mucus, congestion, or a sluggish metabolism—should be balanced with warming, drying herbs.

Traditional Applications in Ayurveda

In modern Ayurvedic practice, elderberry’s uses align with its energetic properties. It is often used for:

Respiratory Conditions: Due to its ability to pacify Pitta and Vata, it is used for fever, influenza, and dry, hacking coughs. A syrup or tincture is often recommended to help soothe the respiratory tract and reduce inflammation.
Fever and Inflammation: As a powerful fever-reducing herb (Jvara-hara), its cooling virya is used to bring down high body temperatures and alleviate systemic inflammation, especially when Pitta is elevated.
Immune Support: It is considered an excellent immune tonic (Rasayana) that strengthens the body’s natural defense system, particularly in the face of viral infections.
Diuretic: The fruit’s actions as a diuretic are used to help flush toxins from the body.

Elderberry Fruit Across Three Herbal Paradigms

While Western herbalism, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and Ayurveda are distinct systems with different philosophical underpinnings, their analysis of elderberry fruit reveals a shared understanding of its core properties and functions. The key commonality across all three systems is that elderberry is a cooling, immune-supportive herb with an affinity for the respiratory system. The differences lie in the terminology and the specific energetic imbalances each system addresses.

Cooling Nature

The most fundamental point of agreement is that elderberry fruit has a cooling effect on the body.

Western Herbalism: Recognizes elderberry’s diaphoretic action, which helps the body release heat and lower fevers. This is a direct, physiological understanding of its cooling property.
TCM: Classifies elderberry as having a Cool (Liáng 凉) nature. This property is used to “Clear Heat and Release the Exterior,” a foundational function for addressing fevers and inflammation.
Ayurveda: Categorizes elderberry with a Cooling (Shita) Virya. This quality makes it ideal for pacifying Pitta, the dosha associated with heat and inflammation, and for use in fevers and other hot conditions.

Immune and Respiratory Support

All three traditions identify elderberry’s primary role as a powerful supporter of the immune and respiratory systems.

Western Herbalism: Employs the terms antiviral and immunomodulating to describe its action. It is a go-to herb for reducing the severity and duration of colds and flu.
TCM: Explains this function as “Clearing Heat and Resolving Toxicity” (Qīng Rè Jiě Dú 清热解毒). This energetic action is the equivalent of fighting infection and is specifically linked to the Lung and Large Intestine meridians, which govern the respiratory tract and immune defense (Wei Qi).
Ayurveda: Regards elderberry as an excellent immune tonic (Rasayana). It is used to strengthen the body’s natural defenses and is particularly effective for fevers and respiratory conditions where Pitta and Vata are aggravated.

Energetic vs. Physiological Framework

The primary divergence between the systems is in the underlying framework used to explain these shared properties.

Western Herbalism: Focuses on the direct physiological action of the herb’s chemical constituents, using terms like “antiviral” and “immunomodulating.”
TCM and Ayurveda: Both employ a holistic, energetic framework. They do not focus on a single chemical compound but rather on the herb’s overall energetic signature. Elderberry’s properties (cooling nature, sweet/astringent flavor) are seen as a unified whole that impacts the doshas (Vata, Pitta, Kapha) or meridians (Lung, Kidney). For example, the moistening quality of elderberry in Western herbalism is described as pacifying Vata and soothing a dry cough in Ayurveda and as “moistening the Lungs” in TCM.

Western Herbalism

Cooling, Moistening
Sweet and Astringent
Antiviral, Immunomodulating, Diaphoretic, Mild Laxative
Respiratory System, Immune System, Digestive System
Reducing duration/severity of cold and flu symptoms; fever relief; respiratory support
Avoid raw berries; use with caution in autoimmune disorders

TCM

Cool (Liáng 凉)
Sweet (Gān 甘), Sour (Suān 酸)
Clears Heat, Releases the Exterior, Resolves Toxicity, Moistens Lungs
Lung, Kidney, and Large Intestine Meridians
Clearing heat-toxins from the respiratory tract; expelling external pathogens
Use with caution in cases of Dampness or excess phlegm due to moistening nature

Ayurveda

Cooling (Shita Virya)
Sweet (Madhura Rasa), Astringent (Kashaya Rasa)
Pacifies Pitta, Balances Vata, Immune Tonic (Rasayana), Fever-Reducing
Respiratory System, Immune System, Fevers (Pitta), Nervous System (Vata)
Reducing fevers and inflammation; soothing dry coughs; strengthening the immune system
Use with caution for Kapha imbalances (e.g., excessive mucus, congestion)

Elderberry: A Deeper Look

Beyond its traditional uses in herbalism, elderberry (Sambucus nigra) has been the subject of a growing body of scientific research. This research aims to identify its active compounds, understand their mechanisms of action, and validate the herb’s efficacy and safety for a variety of health applications.

Phytochemical Composition and Mechanism of Action

The medicinal properties of elderberry fruit are primarily attributed to its high concentration of polyphenols, particularly anthocyanins and other flavonoids.

Key Compounds: Elderberry fruit is one of the richest sources of anthocyanins, including cyanidin-3-glucoside and cyanidin-3-sambubioside. Other important compounds include various flavonoids (e.g., quercetin, kaempferol, and rutin) and phenolic acids.
Mechanism of Action:

Antiviral: Research suggests that elderberry’s antiviral activity works through a dual mechanism. The anthocyanins and other flavonoids are believed to inhibit viral replication and also prevent viruses from attaching to and entering host cells. Specifically, they can bind to the hemagglutinin spikes on the surface of influenza viruses, effectively blocking the virus’s ability to infect respiratory cells.
Immunomodulating: There are in-vitro reports that elderberry can stimulate cytokine production (IL-1β, TNFα etc.), which led to theoretical concerns about use in autoimmune disease. But clinical reviews found no clear evidence elderberry causes harmful immune overstimulation in humans.

Scientifically Studied Benefits

Influenza and Upper Respiratory Infections: This is the most researched area of elderberry’s use. Several small human clinical trials suggest elderberry extract may reduce the duration and severity of influenza symptoms, with some studies reporting up to a four-day reduction. Larger, high-quality trials are still needed to confirm these findings. It has also shown promise in reducing the symptoms of common colds.
Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory: The high concentration of anthocyanins gives elderberry powerful antioxidant properties, which help to combat cellular damage from free radicals. This action is linked to its potential to reduce inflammation. Some studies have shown that elderberry can inhibit inflammatory markers in the body.
Cardiovascular Health: Preliminary studies suggest elderberry’s antioxidant compounds may support heart health by improving blood vessel function and influencing blood pressure and cholesterol, but these effects have not yet been confirmed in large human trials.
Toxicity and Safety: Scientific research has confirmed that elderberry fruit, when properly cooked or processed into extracts, is generally safe for consumption. However, raw or unripe elderberries contain cyanogenic glycosides, which can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. The heating process used to make syrups or tinctures effectively neutralizes these compounds.

Elderberry Fruit: Side Effects, Contraindications, and Potential Drug Interactions

While elderberry fruit is generally considered safe when properly prepared, it is crucial to be aware of potential side effects, contraindications, and drug interactions, particularly when using concentrated supplements.

Side Effects

The most common side effects from elderberry are associated with consuming raw, unripe, or uncooked berries. Raw elderberries contain cyanogenic glycosides, which, when ingested, can produce trace amounts of cyanide.

Symptoms of Raw Elderberry Poisoning: Nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, and diarrhea.

Proper preparation, such as cooking, boiling, or drying, effectively neutralizes these compounds, making the fruit safe for consumption.

Contraindications

Autoimmune Disorders: Caution in autoimmune disease: some laboratory studies show elderberry stimulates cytokine production, a theoretical concern for autoimmune conditions. Clinical evidence of harm is lacking, but people with autoimmune disorders or on immunosuppressants should consult their clinician before use.
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding: There is a lack of sufficient scientific evidence regarding the safety of elderberry supplements during pregnancy and breastfeeding. As a precaution, it is generally recommended to avoid medicinal use unless under the guidance of a qualified healthcare provider.
Children: Elderberry is widely used for children, but it is important to use age-appropriate doses and products specifically designed for pediatric use.

Potential Drug Interactions

Immunosuppressant Drugs: Because elderberry can stimulate the immune system, it may counteract the effects of immunosuppressant drugs. This includes medications used for organ transplant recipients or for treating autoimmune disorders.
Diabetes Drugs: Some preliminary research suggests that elderberry may have a mild effect on lowering blood sugar levels. Combining it with antidiabetes drugs could potentially increase the risk of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).
Diuretics (Water Pills): Elderberry has mild diuretic properties. Taking it with other diuretic medications could increase their effect, potentially leading to dehydration or an electrolyte imbalance.
Laxative Medications: Given its mild laxative effect, elderberry may increase the effects of other laxative medications.

In conclusion, elderberry fruit has a well-established history of traditional use and a growing body of scientific evidence supporting its role as a powerful immune-supportive herb. It is a valuable ally for seasonal wellness, particularly for addressing cold and flu symptoms.

When using elderberry, proper preparation is key to ensuring safety. Whether you choose to make a traditional syrup or use a standardized supplement, the most important step is to respect the plant and to consult with a healthcare professional, especially if you have pre-existing health conditions or are taking other medications.

*Wholly Holistic is proud to partner with suppliers who practice sustainable harvesting.

Consult your physician before making any changes to your diet or lifestyle. The content of this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.