Written by Tatjana Djakovic, Staff Writer. Of 60 patients with flu, the group of thirty who took 15 mls of elderberry syrup for 5 days demonstrated improved symptoms within 3.1 days compared to the placebo group who were sick for 7.1 days before symptoms improved.
Seasonal influenza also known as the flu virus affects an estimated 5 to 20 percent of Americans each flu season, which typically lasts from October to March. The flu is characterized by an abrupt onset of fever, headache, muscle pain, sore throat, and non-productive cough, which usually last 5 to 7 days. Although most people recover from the flu, Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that seasonal flu kills more than 36,000 people and hospitalized 200,000 more due to complications. In addition, children are two to three times more likely than adults to acquire the flu virus and spread it to others. (1)
In most cases, vaccination with inactivated form of the virus is used as a preventative measure. The vaccination may not always be effective in treating the strain of virus circulating within a given community. In addition, anti-viral drugs that are administered to prevent replication of the virus are only designed for patients aged 12 years and above. (2)
In contrast to antiviral drugs, elderberries are berries from the black elder tree, have been used in folk medicine for centuries to treat the flu, colds and sinus infections and are safe to be administered to the whole population, including infants and children. (3) Elderberries contain high levels of naturally occurring substances called flavonoids, which have been shown to have anti-viral properties.(4) Flavonoids stimulate the immune system and prevent the adhesion of the influenza virus to cell receptors. (5,6)
A randomized double-blind placebo controlled study as conducted in order to investigate the efficacy of elderberry extract in treating influenza in humans. The study consisted of 60 patients aged 18 to 54 years suffering from the flu during the flu season 1999-2000 in Norway, and were split into two group of 30 each. Patients received 15 ml of elderberry or placebo syrup four times a day for 5 days and recorded their symptoms using the Visual Analogue Scale to assess the improvement in symptoms. Zero indicated no improvement, while 10 indicated pronounced improvement. The first dose of medication was given within 48 hours of the onset of the influenza-like symptoms. In addition, patients were allowed to use rescue medication, if needed, including a nasal spray and pain medicine.
In the elderberry group, most of the scores showed pronounced improvement after 3.1 days, while the placebo group reached this level after 7.1 days (p<0.001).
Use of rescue medication was significantly less in the elderberry group, only 5 patients in elderberry group in comparison to 21 patients in the placebo group needed to use the nasal spray. In addition, 7 people in elderberry group in comparison to 26 people in placebo group used pain killers (p<0.001).
The study shows that symptoms can be reduced by 3 to 4 days with elderberry syrup compared to a placebo. (7)
Source: Zakay-Rones, Z., et al. “Randomized study of the efficacy and safety of oral elderberry extract in the treatment of influenza A and B virus infections.” Journal of International Medical Research 32.2 (2004): 132-140.
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Posted January 29, 2013.
References:
- Obtained from National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease. “Flu (Influenza).
- Nicholson KG et al., Efficacy and safety of oseltamivir in treatment of acute influenza: a randomized controlled trial. Neuraminidase Inhibitor Flu Treatment Investiagtor Group. Lancet. 2000; (355):1845-1850.
- British Herbal Medicine Association: British Herbal Pharmacopoeia. Bournemouth: BHMA Publicaiton, 1983; 186-187.
- Long JK, et al., Antiviral agents for treat influenza. Cleve Clin J Med. 2000(67): 92-95.
- Amaros M, et al., Synergistic effect of flavones and flavonols against herpes simplex virus type 2 in cell cultures. Comparison with the antiviral activity of propolis. J Nat Prod. 1992(55) 1732-1740.
- Barak V., et al., The effect of Sambucol, a black elderberry-based natural product, on the production of human cytokines: I. Inflammatory cytokines. Eur Cytokine Netw 2001; (12): 290-296.
- Zakay-Rones, Z., et al. “Randomized study of the efficacy and safety of oral elderberry extract in the treatment of influenza A and B virus infections.” The Journal of international medical research 32.2 (2004): 132-140.
