Elderberry herbaceous
Sambucus ebulus
Not all medicinal plants are equally popular. Many of them include those that were widely used by our ancestors in ancient times, and were subsequently forgotten or replaced by some newfangled chemicals. One of them is an interesting medicinal (and not only medicinal) plant in every sense - the herbaceous elderberry Sambucus ebulus L. Not to be confused with black elderberry and red elderberry! The herbaceous elderberry is a typical anthropogenic plant; its favorite habitats are near people: in vacant lots, in weedy places, along roads, in gardens, parks and orchards. It is found on the edges, in ravines, along the banks of rivers and streams. Prefers rocky soil. In Western Europe, on the ruins of medieval castles, you can find thickets of herbaceous elderberry, which have lived there for many centuries.
The owners of the castles once planted it on purpose, since it was believed that the herbaceous elderberry protected horses from diseases.
Elderberry has been known to people since ancient times.
In Central Europe, the seeds and fruits of this plant were discovered in the “cultural layers” of the Early Neolithic era. Apparently, people of that time used the fruits of the herbaceous elderberry to dye fabrics and skins blue. The medicinal use of elderberry was noted in ancient times. Dioscorides and Pliny recommended its fruits for dropsy, as a diuretic and diaphoretic. In the era of the formation of modern European medicine, elderberry fruits - “Baccae Ebuli” - were also an official (pharmacy) medicine for dropsy of various origins and a kidney cleanser, and in the Middle Ages, elderberry grass, elderberry seeds and elderberry root were also attributed for the same purposes. They tried to use the unpleasant smell of this plant to solve the problem of lice and bedbugs, which was very pressing at that time.
Glycosides are found in the leaves and fruits of this plant. The fruits, in addition, contain significant quantities of tannins, anthocyanins, organic acids, sugars, pectin substances, mucus, and dyes. Saponins were found in the root membranes, and oily substances were found in the seeds. All parts of the plant contain bitterness. Nowadays, although elderberry is not an official plant, it is used in folk medicine in many countries. Decoctions of the root are prescribed for inflammation of the urinary tract, as an antitussive, for dropsy of various origins, and, in general, as a diuretic. In the same cases, an alcohol extract from the roots of elderberry is also used. Alcohol extract is also used to combat dandruff and as a means to promote hair growth. It should be remembered, however, that elderberry is a poisonous plant and its preparations must be used with caution.
History has not preserved information about whether elderberry was actually useful for the horses of medieval knights and barons, but for modern gardeners and, in general, for everyone who has problems with mouse-like rodents, it is undoubtedly , will be useful, - established reliably. Mice and rats, often immune to poisons and indifferent to baits, really do not like the smell of this plant and avoid those places where freshly cut elderberry grass lies. And in this sense, she has no equal. the plant is poisonous. When using flowers, berries, leaves, especially fresh ones, poisoning may occur with amygdalin, which turns into hydrocyanic acid. Elderberry fruits are quite pleasant to the taste; you need to be very careful so that they do not fall into the hands of children.
For internal use, prepare a decoction: 2 teaspoons per glass of boiling water, leave for 1 hour, strain, take 1 tablespoon 3 times a day for kidney diseases, ascites.
To prepare the tincture, take 20 g of crushed dry roots per 100 ml of vodka and leave for 7-8 days. Take 30 drops 3 times a day for urolithiasis, pyelonephritis.
An aqueous infusion of the roots is used externally for baths for fungal diseases and dermatitis caused by spider bites in a ratio of 1:10.
Effective folk remedies for healing the body and spirit from the "Northern Fairy Tale"
