TREATMENT DATABASE

Sambucol is an extract made from the fruit of the European black elder tree (Sambucus nigra L), a member of the Adoxaceae family.

In addition to its pleasant taste, elderberry is valued as a rich source of B vitamins and bioflavonoids, as well as minerals such as calcium and phosphorus. Medicinal use of black elderberry has been documented as early as the fifth century BC, when the ancient Greeks described it as a remedy for colds, flu, and upper respiratory tract infections. In the mid-1980s, researchers found that two of the active ingredients in elderberry inhibited the replication of the influenza virus by preventing the virus from entering cells. And in 1992 a group of Israeli scientists and physicians formulated a black elderberry syrup that acted successfully against the influenza virus in a laboratory setting.

Soon afterward, a double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted in patients with influenza in southern Israel. The results of that study indicated that black elderberry effectively reduced the duration and severity of influenza infections. Flu symptoms (fever, cough, and muscle pain) significantly improved in 20% of the patients within 24 hours, compared with 8% of the control group. Within three days, more than 90% of the patients were symptom free, compared with six or more days for the control group.

In 2011 a group of researchers from the Institute of Medical Biology in Germany found that standardized extract of elderberry inhibited viral replication of influenza A and influenza B. They also found that the extract possessed antimicrobial activity against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria in liquid cultures. Another group of researchers in Austria found that a fraction of elderberry produced broad anti-inflammatory effects and supported “the traditional use of extracts and preparations of Sambucus ebulus L., rich in ursolic acid, for the treatment of chronically inflammatory processes.” Results of further studies have also shown that elderberry extract can act against herpes virus and Epstein-Barr virus.

USES IN ME/CFS. The fact that Sambucol has such a wide range of antiviral effects may make it particularly useful for the many patients who have frequent colds and flu. It may also be valuable for those who demonstrate reactivation of Epstein-Barr virus and other latent viruses, the effects of which can lead to many of the symptoms typical of ME/CFS.

Treatment rating for Sambucol