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What Are the Benefits of Sambucol Elderberry?

Sambucol is an over-the-counter immune system booster with the active ingredient black elderberry extract. The product is named after the biological genus name for elderberry, Sambucus. Developed by virologist Madeleine Mumcuoglu, Sambucol is manufactured by Nature's Way, which advertises it for relief of colds and flu. The elderberry shrub's flowers and fruit have a traditional use in treating these illnesses, but the specific extract included in Sambucol has shown promise in some limited clinical studies.

  1. Initial Study

    • The first study to demonstrate the effectiveness of Sambucol was conducted in Israel with 27 patients, and published in a 1995 issue of the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. A total of 93 percent of patients diagnosed with flu and given Sambucol were symptom-free within 2 days, while it took about 6 days for those given a placebo.

    Second Study

    • Another study, presented at the 2002 Annual Conference on Antiviral Research, involved 60 patients experiencing flu symptoms for 2 days or less. Half of them were given Sambucol and the other half a placebo. Almost all the patients taking Sambucol were symptom-free in 3 days, while those receiving a placebo usually did not recover for 6 days. The placebo group also used nasal spray more often and took more painkillers.

    Expert Insight

    • Medical doctor Andrew Weil, program director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, notes on his website that Sambucol apparently inactivates the flu virus. Sambucol has not been shown to be effective against colds and does not work as a flu prevention method.

    Avian Flu

    • Researchers associated with the University of London announced in 2006 that Sambucol nearly eliminated avian flu, or H5N1, during in vitro testing of cell cultures. The proprietary extract was at least 99 percent effective against the virus.

    Further Potential

    • Weil cites another study indicating that Sambucol increased inflammatory cytokines when tested on blood from 12 healthy individuals. Inflammatory cytokines are immune system mediators, and this research indicates that Sambucol might be able to increase immune system function in people with cancer and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).

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