“If the medicinal properties of Elder’s leaves, barks, and berries were fully known, I cannot tell what our countrymen could ail for which he might not fetch a remedy from every hedge, either for sickness or wounds.” - John Evelyn (17th century)

Elderberry (Sambucus nigra) is a tree in Europe, Asia, North Africa, and North America with a rich history of use in many traditions. The berries, flowers, leaves, and bark have all been used medicinally for thousands of years.

The celebrated Greek physician Dioscorides (40-90 CE) wrote about elderberry in his highly-referenced text, De Materia Medica. He calls the tree “akte” and writes that the fruit, “growing in clusters, full of juice, [are] smacking of wine” (4-174). He includes the names of the tree from other civilizations: “it is also called arbor ursi, or sativa; the Romans call it sambucus, the Gauls, scobie, and the Dacians, seba” (4-174).

Dioscorides also describes the uses of Dwarf Elder (Sambucus ebulus), native to southern and central Europe and southwest Asia. This tree he called “chamaiakte” and described it as “smaller and more herb-like” than Sambucus nigra but with a similar flower and fruit with the same properties and uses (4-175). His remedies included boiling the leaves and stems to purge phlegm and bile (not recommended today due to toxicity) and applying the new tender leaves, mixed with polenta, as a topical poultice to treat burns and dog bites. The leaves could also be mixed with bull or goat grease to heal ulcers and help gout. Dioscorides recommended a decoction of the berries mixed with wine “for the same things” and when rubbed on the head could help darken hair. The root was also boiled and used in baths to soften the womb and heal any “disorders around it” (4-175).

In modern Western herbal medicine, the berries are often decocted and made into an elderberry syrup or are infused in apple cider vinegar and honey and made into an oxymel. The word oxymel comes from the ancient Greek word oxymeli, which means “acid and honey.” Hippocrates (460-375 BCE) wrote that “you will find the drink, called oxymel, often very useful in these complaints, for it promotes expectoration and freedom of breathing” (On Regimen in Acute Diseases). A 2023 study published in Microbiology shows promising uses of oxymel for the treatment of infections.

Elder flowers are also commonly used in herbal remedies, especially in wines, cordials, and herbal tea blends. Both the berries and the flowers are especially helpful during the winter season to help strengthen the immune and respiratory systems.

Scientific studies have shown that elderberries stimulate the immune system and have strong antiviral properties helpful for supporting recovery from a variety of infections. Studies have also suggested that elderberries can be helpful for treating eczema, gout, rheumatoid arthritis, sciatica, and sore throats, as well as lowering LDL cholesterol levels.

Elderberries contain high amounts of vitamin C, vitamins A and B, carotenoids, flavonoids (including quercetin), and other beneficial phytoconstituents that help support these therapeutic applications.

• Properties: antioxidant, diaphoretic, diuretic, laxative, immune-boosting, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, nervine

• Applications: coughs, colds, flu, bacterial infections, viral infections, tonsillitis, lower cholesterol, vision, heart health, cancer, HIV, asthma and bronchitis, reduce inflammation of the urinary tract and bladder, nerve disorders, back pain

• Caution: It is not advised to eat any part of the tree (leaves, berries, flowers, roots) raw, as high doses can cause nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea due to the presence of cyanide-inducing glycosides.

Elderberries and flowers are a wonderful addition to your home apothecary and can help support your health throughout the year. For advice on how to prepare a remedy or an appropriate dosage, consult a trained herbalist.

Want to try our Elderberry Oxymel? Our oxymel is hand-crafted in small batches and made with organic apple cider vinegar, Greek honey, elderberries, and flavorful herbs and spices. Ships from Greece with love.