How Elderberry - Sambucus Nigra Can Help Treat Constipation
Other Common Names: Black Elder, Bore Tree, Bour Tree,
Bourtree, Common Elder, Elder, Elder Rind, Ellhorn, European Black
Elder, European Elder, Khaman Kabir, Murver Agaci, Pipe Tree, Pipetree,
Sauco, Seiyo-Niwatoko, Zovika, Sambucus nigra
Range: Britain; Europe; France; Iraq; Spain; Turkey; Yugoslavia
Habitat: Hedgerows, scrub, woods, roadsides, waste places etc, especially on disturbed base-rich and nitrogen rich soils.
Elder has a very long history of household use as a medicinal herb
and is also much used by herbalists. The plant has been called 'the
medicine chest of country peope'. The flowers are the main part used in
modern herbalism, though all parts of the plant have been used at times.
The inner bark is collected from young trees in the autumn and is
best sun-dried. It is diuretic, a strong purgative and in large doses
emetic. It is used in the treatment of constipation and arthritic
conditions. An emollient ointment is made from the green inner bark.
The leaves can be used both fresh or dry. For drying, they are
harvested in periods of fine weather during June and July. The leaves
are purgative, but are more nauseous than the bark. They are also
diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant and haemostatic. The juice is said
to be a good treatment for inflamed eyes. An ointment made from the
leaves is emollient and is used in the treatment of bruises, sprains,
chillblains, wounds etc.
The fresh flowers are used in the distillation of 'Elder Flower
Water'. The flowers can be preserved with salt to make them available
for distillation later in the season. The water is mildly astringent
and a gentle stimulant. It is mainly used as a vehicle for eye and skin
lotions. The dried flowers are diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant,
galactogogue and pectoral. An infusion is very effective in the
treatment of chest complaints and is also used to bathe inflamed eyes.
The infusion is also a very good spring tonic and blood cleanser.
Externally, the flowers are used in fomentations to ease pain and abate
inflammation. Used as an ointment, it treats chillblains, burns,
wounds, scalds etc.
The fruit is depurative, weakly diaphoretic and gently laxative. A
tea made from the dried berries is said to be a good remedy for colic
and diarrhea. The fruit is widely used for making wines, preserves
etc., and these are said to retain the medicinal properties of the
fruit.
The pith of young stems is used in treating burns and scalds.
The root is no longer used in herbal medicine but it formerly had a
high reputation as an emetic and purgative that was very effective
against dropsy.
A homeopathic remedy is made from the fresh inner bark of young
branches. It relieves asthmatic symptoms and spurious croup in children.
Fruit - raw or cooked. The flavor of the raw fruit is not acceptable
to many tastes, though when cooked it makes delicious jellies,
preserves, pies and so forth. It can be used fresh or dried, the dried
fruit being less bitter. The fruit is used to add flavor and color to
preserves, jams, pies, sauces, chutneys etc, it is also often used to
make wine. The fruit is about 8mm in diameter and is borne in large
clusters. Some caution is advised, see the notes on toxicity.
Flowers - raw or cooked. They can also be dried for later use. The
flowers are crisp and somewhat juicy, they have an aromatic smell and
flavor and are delicious raw as a refreshing snack on a summers day,
though look out for the insects. The flowers are used to add a muscatel
flavor to stewed fruits, jellies and jams (especially gooseberry jam).
They are often used to make a sparkling wine A sweet tea is made from
the dried flowers.
The leaves are used to impart a green coloring to oils and fats.
The leaves are used as an insect repellent, very effective when
rubbed on the skin though they do impart their own unique fragrance.
They can be powdered and placed amongst plants to act as a deterrent,
or made into a spray when they act as an insecticide. This is prepared
by boiling 3 - 4 handfuls of leaves in a litre of water, then straining
and allowing to cool before applying. Effective against many insects,
it also treats various fungal infections such as leaf rot and powdery
mildew.The dried flowering shoots are used to repel insects, rodents
etc.
Known Hazards: The leaves and stems are poisonous. The fruit
of many species (although no records have been seen for this species)
has been known to cause stomach upsets to some people. Any toxin the
fruit might contain is liable to be of very low toxicity and is
destroyed when the fruit is cooked.
Other Common Names: Black Elder, Bore Tree, Bour Tree,
Bourtree, Common Elder, Elder, Elder Rind, Ellhorn, European Black
Elder, European Elder, Khaman Kabir, Murver Agaci, Pipe Tree, Pipetree,
Sauco, Seiyo-Niwatoko, Zovika, Sambucus nigra
Range: Britain; Europe; France; Iraq; Spain; Turkey; Yugoslavia
Habitat: Hedgerows, scrub, woods, roadsides, waste places etc, especially on disturbed base-rich and nitrogen rich soils.
Elder has a very long history of household use as a medicinal herb
and is also much used by herbalists. The plant has been called 'the
medicine chest of country peope'. The flowers are the main part used in
modern herbalism, though all parts of the plant have been used at times.
The inner bark is collected from young trees in the autumn and is
best sun-dried. It is diuretic, a strong purgative and in large doses
emetic. It is used in the treatment of constipation and arthritic
conditions. An emollient ointment is made from the green inner bark.
The leaves can be used both fresh or dry. For drying, they are
harvested in periods of fine weather during June and July. The leaves
are purgative, but are more nauseous than the bark. They are also
diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant and haemostatic. The juice is said
to be a good treatment for inflamed eyes. An ointment made from the
leaves is emollient and is used in the treatment of bruises, sprains,
chillblains, wounds etc.
The fresh flowers are used in the distillation of 'Elder Flower
Water'. The flowers can be preserved with salt to make them available
for distillation later in the season. The water is mildly astringent
and a gentle stimulant. It is mainly used as a vehicle for eye and skin
lotions. The dried flowers are diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant,
galactogogue and pectoral. An infusion is very effective in the
treatment of chest complaints and is also used to bathe inflamed eyes.
The infusion is also a very good spring tonic and blood cleanser.
Externally, the flowers are used in fomentations to ease pain and abate
inflammation. Used as an ointment, it treats chillblains, burns,
wounds, scalds etc.
The fruit is depurative, weakly diaphoretic and gently laxative. A
tea made from the dried berries is said to be a good remedy for colic
and diarrhea. The fruit is widely used for making wines, preserves
etc., and these are said to retain the medicinal properties of the
fruit.
The pith of young stems is used in treating burns and scalds.
The root is no longer used in herbal medicine but it formerly had a
high reputation as an emetic and purgative that was very effective
against dropsy.
A homeopathic remedy is made from the fresh inner bark of young
branches. It relieves asthmatic symptoms and spurious croup in children.
Fruit - raw or cooked. The flavor of the raw fruit is not acceptable
to many tastes, though when cooked it makes delicious jellies,
preserves, pies and so forth. It can be used fresh or dried, the dried
fruit being less bitter. The fruit is used to add flavor and color to
preserves, jams, pies, sauces, chutneys etc, it is also often used to
make wine. The fruit is about 8mm in diameter and is borne in large
clusters. Some caution is advised, see the notes on toxicity.
Flowers - raw or cooked. They can also be dried for later use. The
flowers are crisp and somewhat juicy, they have an aromatic smell and
flavor and are delicious raw as a refreshing snack on a summers day,
though look out for the insects. The flowers are used to add a muscatel
flavor to stewed fruits, jellies and jams (especially gooseberry jam).
They are often used to make a sparkling wine A sweet tea is made from
the dried flowers.
The leaves are used to impart a green coloring to oils and fats.
The leaves are used as an insect repellent, very effective when
rubbed on the skin though they do impart their own unique fragrance.
They can be powdered and placed amongst plants to act as a deterrent,
or made into a spray when they act as an insecticide. This is prepared
by boiling 3 - 4 handfuls of leaves in a litre of water, then straining
and allowing to cool before applying. Effective against many insects,
it also treats various fungal infections such as leaf rot and powdery
mildew.The dried flowering shoots are used to repel insects, rodents
etc.
Known Hazards: The leaves and stems are poisonous. The fruit
of many species (although no records have been seen for this species)
has been known to cause stomach upsets to some people. Any toxin the
fruit might contain is liable to be of very low toxicity and is
destroyed when the fruit is cooked.
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