Herbs of Utnapisjtim: Sambucus Nigra

European black elderberry or simply elderberry, Latin Sambucus Nigra of the Adoxaceae genus, is an amasing plant with a long history of curing all kinds of things. "It's bark, leaves, flowers, fruits, and root extracts are used to treat bronchitis, cough, upper respiratory cold infections and fever"[1]. The flowers (Florus Sambuci) contain the flavonoid glycoside rutin, tallins and organic acids. Especially rutin has some amazing properties[2]:

• Rutin inhibits platelet aggregation, as well as decreases capillary permeability, making the blood thinner and improving circulation.
  
• Rutin shows anti-inflammatory activity in some animal and in vitro models.
  
• Rutin inhibits aldose reductase activity. Aldose reductase is an enzyme normally present in the eye and elsewhere in the body. It helps change glucose into the sugar alcohol sorbitol.
  
• Recent studies show rutin could help prevent blood clots, so could be used to treat patients at risk of heart attacks and strokes.
  
• Some evidence also shows rutin can be used to treat hemorrhoids, varicosis, and microangiopathy.
  
• Rutin increases thyroid iodide uptake in rats without raising serum T3 or T4.
  
• Rutin is also an antioxidant; compared to quercetin, acacetin, morin, hispidulin, hesperidin, and naringin, it was found to be the strongest. However, in other trials, the effects of rutin were lower or negligible compared to those of quercetin.
  

The berries are very rich in amino acids, like B1, B2 and C vitamins as well as other organic acids, bitter compounds, eteric oil, sugar and resin. Juice and tea is rich in antioxidants, and has been referred to as medicine since Antiquity. Use about 2 teaspoons of dried flowers for one cup of tea. Let it steep for about 20 minutes. Drink 3-4 cups daily to treat a wide variety of conditions. Since it induce sweating it's rumoured to be effective in cases of the flu, pneumonia and reumatism as well as digestive trouble, and is useful in cases of kidney stones and insomnia.[3]

I will not be able to include all the uses of this herb, si instead I'll advice you to read the botanical.com page[4] below about it's further medicinal uses and then go to the herballegacy.com page[5] for quite a few recipes.

Warning: Do not eat the fresh berries, you'll probably get sick. And there are a few look-alikes that may be even more harmful to you, so make sure your identification is correct.

Sources:
[1] ==> en.wikipedia.org...
[2] ==> en.wikipedia.org...
[3] ==> Norwegian book "Legeplanter" ISBN 82-508-0106-7
[4] ==> www.botanical.com...
[5] ==> www.herballegacy.com...

Always love to see these daily herbs. WIll/have you covered Sandalwood (Santalum)? Oregano? Artemisia/wormwood?
S&F

reply to post by gardener


I will try to be careful with the herbs I post, in order to present a "safe" collection of herbs. Also, I will focus on common weeds and trees, which grow around where I live. I'll write these threads along the road, and which plants I'll cover is more or less up to what comes to mind. If anyone has suggestions and want me to research it, please drop me a private message.

Another good thread.

I don't think we have much elderberry wild around here, maybe in people's yards there may be a few. I noticed the Rutin is also in asparagus, there is some asparagus near old foundations around this area. People have been growing asparagus in the USA for hundreds of years, after a while it is forgotten and goes wild. I planted some here, I need to expand the area. I also have some ferns that are edible, but I am not sure if there is arsenic in this area because the indians had some kind of sites on this spot for a long time and they knew what arsenic was and did use this for arrows sometimes in some areas. Ferns can take up arsenic, I often wonder if the asparagus can too.

rickymouse
Another good thread.

I don't think we have much elderberry wild around here, maybe in people's yards there may be a few. I noticed the Rutin is also in asparagus, there is some asparagus near old foundations around this area. People have been growing asparagus in the USA for hundreds of years, after a while it is forgotten and goes wild. I planted some here, I need to expand the area.

Wild aspargus sounds nice! Elderberry grows in the wild here, but you often find them around farms and in parks. The juice from the berries is a popular health-food over here. Can be rather pricy though, so you'd better off harvesting a few buckets of berries when they are ripe and make your own.

I also have some ferns that are edible, but I am not sure if there is arsenic in this area because the indians had some kind of sites on this spot for a long time and they knew what arsenic was and did use this for arrows sometimes in some areas. Ferns can take up arsenic, I often wonder if the asparagus can too.

We call ferns 'ormegrass' or 'snake-grass' since it's believed that snakes avoid these plants for some reason.

reply to post by Utnapisjtim


Looks like I was in bit of a hurry when I posted this one. Forgot a thing or two in the OP. Like a more detailed warning about look-alikes and toxicity:

Most species of Sabcucus berries are edible when picked ripe and then cooked. Both the skin and pulp can be eaten. However, it is important to note that most uncooked berries and other parts of plants from this genus are poisonous. Sambucus nigra is the variety of Elderberry that is most often used for health benefits as it is the only variety considered to be non-toxic even when not cooked, but it is still recommended to cook the berries at least a little to enhance their taste and digestibility.

www.herbwisdom.com...

The link above is also good for more info on "the Queen of Herbs" and it's health benefits.

rickymouse
Another good thread.

I don't think we have much elderberry wild around here, maybe in people's yards there may be a few. I noticed the Rutin is also in asparagus, there is some asparagus near old foundations around this area. People have been growing asparagus in the USA for hundreds of years, after a while it is forgotten and goes wild. I planted some here, I need to expand the area. I also have some ferns that are edible, but I am not sure if there is arsenic in this area because the indians had some kind of sites on this spot for a long time and they knew what arsenic was and did use this for arrows sometimes in some areas. Ferns can take up arsenic, I often wonder if the asparagus can too.

You're in the US, right? Presence of Elderberry in the US

TatTvamAsi

rickymouse
Another good thread.

I don't think we have much elderberry wild around here, maybe in people's yards there may be a few. I noticed the Rutin is also in asparagus, there is some asparagus near old foundations around this area. People have been growing asparagus in the USA for hundreds of years, after a while it is forgotten and goes wild. I planted some here, I need to expand the area. I also have some ferns that are edible, but I am not sure if there is arsenic in this area because the indians had some kind of sites on this spot for a long time and they knew what arsenic was and did use this for arrows sometimes in some areas. Ferns can take up arsenic, I often wonder if the asparagus can too.

You're in the US, right? Presence of Elderberry in the US

I noticed the page you link to, and several of my books, place Elderberry in the Caprifoliaceae family, and not Adoxaceae, like I wrote in the OP. To clear up any confusion, I'll quote from wikipedias Adoxaceae page:

In older classifications, this entire family [U: Adoxaceae] was part of Caprifoliaceae (the honeysuckle family). Adoxa moschatellina (Moschatel) was the first plant to be moved to this new group. Much later, the genera Sambucus (elders) and Viburnum were added after careful morphological analysis of biochemical tests by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group. An additional monotypic genus Sinadoxa has been added based on molecular comparison with Adoxa.

en.wikipedia.org...

hah, Utn you have done very well describing the bush around my corner of the blue ball.
news to me on the rutin, good news actually, thanks

They say that the various species of Sambucus are toxic. They aren't, very.

You'll find the mildly toxic cyanoglycoside sambunigrin in the leaves and unripe fruits of Sambucus species.
The red elderberry (Sambucus racemosa) is the most toxic of the three species, but its toxicity is confined to a tummy ache.
The annual dwarf elder (Sambucus ebulus) is considered completely nontoxic.
The seeds of all Sambucus species contain a resin which is nauseant and diuretic; this resin is destroyed by cooking.
(That's from Buff + v.d.Dunck: Giftpflanzen in Natur und Garten, 1988.)

"It's deadly, it contains cyanide!" say those who don't have a clue. Yeah, right ...
... cyanide is the stuff of detective stories. Cyanoglycosides are found in most if not all rose family plants, and they're the taste behind bitter almonds and amaretto. There's not all that much in elder: the irritation of elder is more due to the resin than the sambunigrin.

www.henriettes-herb.com...

here is one:
yarrow 6 parts to one parts each, elder bark, golden seal, echenacia, cinnamon. in glycerin or as a tea
where ever you might use yarrow

don't be shy with your star buttons, lol Utns hard work is worth a nod

reply to post by Danbones


Hehe. This is so fun researching and writing that I now fear I might be inflating the series a wee bit So I introduced a new one about plant minerals a few minutes ago, and earlier today I made a master thread, just to add to the inflasion. It's spring damnit, plants are supposed to pop up everywhere

TatTvamAsi

rickymouse
Another good thread.

I don't think we have much elderberry wild around here, maybe in people's yards there may be a few. I noticed the Rutin is also in asparagus, there is some asparagus near old foundations around this area. People have been growing asparagus in the USA for hundreds of years, after a while it is forgotten and goes wild. I planted some here, I need to expand the area. I also have some ferns that are edible, but I am not sure if there is arsenic in this area because the indians had some kind of sites on this spot for a long time and they knew what arsenic was and did use this for arrows sometimes in some areas. Ferns can take up arsenic, I often wonder if the asparagus can too.

You're in the US, right? Presence of Elderberry in the US

It is supposed to be here according to the map, but maybe I just see the sugar plum trees because I look for them. I like sugar plums. I guess they are not really called sugar plums though, they are service berries. Not many people around here would know what a service berry is though. So they are sugar plums here.

I will have to look around for them next summer. They must be around. Lots of wild blueberries around here, a potent berry, and also lots of raspberries. I guess raspberry leaves are good for things too, and they are very expensive when purchased from the health food stores. There are also patches of blackberries here and there , but they won't grow on my land...I got some from a friend and planted them and they died. There is also some squaw root in the back of my property, that is a special medicine. I found the weird stuff and researched it.

We have hen of the woods mushrooms here, also known as the Maitake Mushrooms I think. People do not understand that these are the same.

We have Oyster mushrooms here also. It is also called the Hiratake mushroom. It is tasty if fried and may have some medical benefits.

I made tea a few times out of the birch tree growths, those medicines are here also as long as there are birch trees. Both the tinder mushrooms and the Chaga are out in the woods for emergency medicines for people. Nature can help us heal. The chemistry of both are somewhat the same, but the Chaga is much stronger. I like the tinder mushrooms for tea myself. I haven't tried the Chaga.

From now on I will post the daily updates to the "Herbs of Utnapisjtim" series into it's Master thread. This was a wish from the admin, and I have to adhere. The OP will be continually updated to include the new additions of herbal species as I will continue to try posting about once a day, only from now on I will stick to the Master Thread. The first herb following this pattern that has been added is Nettles (the link will send you to the Master Thread:

[9] Nettles [Urtica Dioica] ==> www.abovetopsecret.com...

Thanks to all of you for all the stars and flags, encouraging and rewarding words and nods, and most importantly for having added generously to the quality of these threads! Hope you remain through the transition into the one-thread world.