Adoxaceae (formerly Caprifoliaceae) Black elder; European elder; Sambucus Sambuci fructus; Sambuci flores Fruit (berries), dried flower Anthocyanins including cyanidin-3-sambubioside and cyanidin-3-glucoside, flavonoids such as quercetin and rutin, the hemagglutinin protein Sambucus nigra agglutinin III (SNA-III), cyanogenic glycosides, for example, sambunigrin, viburnic acid and vitamins A and C (Anon. 2005; Williamson et al. 2013). Flavonoids including rutin, quercetin, hyperoside, nicotiflorin, kaempferol, naringenin; triterpenes based on oleanolic and ursolic acids. More recently, a number of acyl spermidines have been identified, with N,N-diferuloylspermidine and N-acetyl-N,N-diferuloylspermidine being most abundant (Kite et al. 2013), as well as α-linolenic and linoleic acids (Christensen et al. 2010). Two randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies investigated the efficacy of a commercially available preparation of elderberries for the treatment of symptoms associated with influenza A and B. The extract was found to reduce the duration of symptoms in patients with laboratory-confirmed influenza virus infection, but further clinical studies are required (reviewed by Guo et al. 2007; Ulbricht et al. 2014; Vlachojannis et al. 2010). Several mechanisms are thought to be responsible for the antimicrobial effects of the extracts. Elderberry extracts have antimicrobial and antiviral activity against both gram-positive and negative bacteria, as well as on influenza viruses (Kinoshita et al. 2012; Krawitz et al. 2011). Its constituents neutralise the activity of the haemagglutinin spikes found on the surface of several viruses, which are vital for virus replication (Zakay-Rones et al. 1995; Zakay-Rones et al. 2004). It has antioxidant properties due to anthocyanin flavonoid content (Wu et al. 2002). Elderberry extracts also have immune-modulating activity by increasing the production of cytokines (Barak et al. 2001; Barak et al. 2002).
Elderberry, Elderflower
Sambucus nigra L.
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