• Indications
  1. Upper Respiratory Infections or Influenza-like illness (adults)
    1. Weak evidence of possible benefit
  2. Folk medicine
    1. Has also been used as a Diuretic or Laxative
  • Contraindications
  1. Autoimmune Conditions or Immunosuppressant Use
    1. Elderberry may have immunostimulant activity
  • Precautions
  1. Cyanide-producing chemical is found in raw and unripe elderberries (or leaves)
  2. Do not ingest raw Elderberry
  • Dosing
  1. Study doses have varied widely and there is no standardized dose
  2. Some studies have used 175 mg lozenges four times daily for 2 to 5 days (starting within 1-2 days of URI)
  • Safety
  1. Unknown safety in pregnancy (avoid)
  2. Unknown safety in Lactation (avoid)
  3. Unknown safety in children (avoid)
  • Efficacy
  1. Influenza
    1. Small study in Emergency Department
    2. No evidence of benefit in Influenza duration or severity
    3. Macknin (2020) J Gen Intern Med 35(11):3271-7 +PMID: 32929634 [PubMed]
  2. Upper Respiratory Infection
    1. Limited evidence in adults of reduced symptom severity when used for prophylaxis or treatment
    2. Wieland (2021) BMC Complement Med Ther 21(1):112 +PMID: 33827515 [PubMed]
  • References
  1. (2024) Presc Lett 31(9): 54