Effect of elderberry extract in the treatment of colds
Elderberry plant is used as a diaphoretic agent for the relief of joint pains and colds among the people in our country. Some preclinical studies have shown that the black fruits of the plant are effective on influenza virus (influenza A and B). It was determined that the flavonoids found in the fruits of the plant adhere to the influenza H1N1 virus. As you know, the H1N1 virus is one of the most popular subjects of this year, from the same family as swine flu. In a recently published study, the effect of a specially prepared extract from the fruits of the plant on influenza H1N1 virus was tested on humans.
Patients aged between 16-60 years who were admitted to the hospital with flu-like complaints in the last 24 hours and whose headache, fever, muscle pain, cough, sputum and nasal discharge were identified. These volunteers were randomly grouped (computer randomization), and 32 patients were given a slow dissolving lozenge drug prepared with special elderberry extract, and the other 32 patients were given lozenges without the same appearance and flavor as elderberry extract. The lozenges were given 4 times a day for 2 days after meals and before bedtime, and the patients observed the change in the above major influenza complaints (with VAS-visual analog grading).
According to the evaluations, 15 of the patients in the elderberry extract group and 9 of the empty medication group had high fever. Within 24 hours, body fever was significantly decreased in the elderberry group, while the fever was normal in all patients in the elderberry group after 2 days of application, but almost all patients (except 2) in the empty drug group persisted.
Developments related to headache complaints followed the same course. In the first 24 hours, the complaints were significantly reduced in the elderberry group. As a result of 48 hours of treatment, 78 percent of the patients in the group were not complaining of headache, 22 percent of the headache was observed to last a slight way. Headache complaints continued in the empty drug group.
Similarly, nasal congestion complaints were also prevented, and after 48 hours, nasal obstruction was completely resolved in half of the patients and in the empty drug group, except for 2 patients, the complaints were increased. However, it is reported that elderberry is not effective enough on cough complaints. Although there was a decrease in cough complaints compared to empty drug group in elderberry group, this development was not statistically significant.
As a result, this work is undoubtedly a preliminary assessment. More detailed studies with a high number of patients are needed. However, considering that there is not a wide variety of effective and reliable drug options on viruses, it is necessary to examine in detail whether elderberry can be an effective alternative to existing virus treatments.
In the meantime, I would like to draw your attention. In the study I mentioned above, no side effects were observed during the 2-day application period. However, it is a specially prepared elderberry extract used in this study. Elderberry black berries carry cyanogenetic glycosides (sinigrin et al.), And excessive consumption can lead to poisoning, especially in children.
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