Elderberry

Research corpus coverage

Chemistry notes

• CHEMISTRY: Relevant reported constituents include anthocyanins; flavonols; sambunigrin in raw tissues; constituent presence alone does not establish clinical efficacy.

Traditional / historical use

Documented traditional use — not a claim of established efficacy.

• TRADITIONAL: Elderberry has been used for colds; influenza-like illness; feverish conditions; this records historical/traditional use and does not establish efficacy.

  MODERATE · evidence synthesis/fact sheet · NCCIH Herbs at a Glance

Modern evidence

• EVIDENCE: For the major use set (colds; influenza-like illness; feverish conditions), the evidence assessment is limited/mixed: Limited small trials for upper-respiratory symptom duration; insufficient evidence for prevention or severe infection.

  MODERATE · randomized controlled trial · NCCIH Herbs at a Glance

  Mixed findings, product heterogeneity, or indirect evidence are preserved in the detailed profile.

Forms used traditionally

A listed form does not imply it suits every plant part, or that one preparation is interchangeable with another — see the plant’s own notes below.

Additional safety notes (general, unstructured)

Free-text safety notes carried from their source — not broken out by species, route, or hazard type, and not equivalent to the structured records above. Each note names the kind of source it came from.

• SAFETY: Major issues include Raw/unripe tissues can cause cyanogenic toxicity and GI illness. Contraindications/cautions include Avoid raw leaves, stems, bark and unripe fruit.

  HIGH · observational/case series and expert review · LiverTox: Herbal and Dietary Supplements

• SAFETY: Clinically relevant interaction concerns include Theoretical additive effects with diabetes medicines and immunomodulators.

  MODERATE · observational/case series and expert review · LiverTox: Herbal and Dietary Supplements

  Some interactions are theoretical or based on case reports/pharmacokinetics rather than outcome trials.

• SAFETY: Pregnancy/lactation reference: Insufficient pregnancy/lactation evidence.

  MODERATE · regulatory monograph or evidence synthesis · NCCIH Herbs at a Glance

  Absence of evidence is not evidence of safety.

Taxonomic identity note

• Elderberry is treated here as Sambucus nigra L. in the family Adoxaceae; recorded older names include Sambucus canadensis often treated separately or as S. nigra subsp. canadensis.