Red elderberry: beneficial properties and photo of the plant. Medicinal properties and contraindications of red elderberry

Red elderberry (Sambucus racemosa).

Other names: elderberry, common elder, kalinka.

Description. Deciduous branched shrub of the Honeysuckle family (Caprifoliaceae), up to 4 m high. It has a superficial root system. The bark of old branches is grayish-brown, with longitudinal wrinkles. The branches have a soft, spongy, brownish core. Young shoots are shiny, brown, possibly with a purple or violet tint, round or slightly ribbed, with large slit-like and small lentils. Buds on small stalks; leafy ones are oblong-ovate, floral ones are spherical.
The leaves are opposite, unpaired-pinnate, glabrous or slightly hairy, with 3-7 oblong-ovate or elliptical leaflets, 5-8 cm long and 3-4 cm wide. The leaves are long pointed at the apex, wedge-shaped or rounded at the base, serrated along the edge. The leaf petiole is 5-11 cm long, with 2 glands at the base of the lower pair. The upper part of the leaf blade is green; the lower one is bluish. The leaves have an unpleasant odor.
The flowers are bisexual, regular, yellowish-white, fragrant, collected in dense ovoid or conical inflorescences directed upward. Blooms in May - June. Fruit ripening in August - September. The fruit is a spherical, shiny, juicy, bright red drupe, usually with three triangular-ovate light yellow seeds with a finely wrinkled surface.
The homeland of red elderberry is Western Europe. Elderberry is found in the wild in the Carpathians, Upper Dniester, Siberia, Far East. Grows in forests and among bushes. They're breeding her like ornamental plant. Red elderberry is propagated by cuttings, layering, and seeds.

Collection and preparation of raw materials. For medicinal purposes, flowers, bark, roots, fruits of red elderberry, and sometimes leaves are used. Flowers are harvested during their full bloom (before the corollas fall off), for this purpose the inflorescences are cut off with scissors or a knife. Then they are dried in the shade in the open air or in a room with normal ventilation, spread out thin layer on paper or fabric. After drying, the flowers are threshed.
The leaves are also harvested during the flowering period. They are dried, just like flowers.
The bark is harvested in April, during the period of sap flow; roots - late autumn or in early spring; berries - after they are fully ripe.
To harvest the bark, branches of the third and second years of life are used. Circular transverse cuts are made on the branch with a knife at a distance of about 2.5 cm. Then they are connected with one longitudinal cut and the bark is removed. Dry the bark in a dry, ventilated area.
Plant composition insufficiently studied. The flowers contain the flavone glycoside rutin, glucose, fructose, tannins, traces of essential oil, organic acids, and vitamins. The leaves and unripe fruits contain the poisonous glycoside sambunigrin.

Medicinal properties, application, treatment.
Red elderberry preparations have diaphoretic, laxative, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties. The diaphoretic properties of this plant are used for colds, flu, and sore throat.
To do this, take a warm water infusion or alcohol tincture of red elderberry flowers. Infusion and tincture are also taken for respiratory diseases, headaches, arthritis, rheumatism; tincture of flowers - also for pathological menopause.
A decoction of flowers is used externally - in the form of gargles in the treatment of sore throat, inflammation of the throat and oral cavity. An infusion of fresh red elderberry fruits is used as an emetic and laxative.
A decoction of the bark and a decoction of the roots have diuretic and diaphoretic properties, and the latter also has a laxative effect.
IN folk medicine Flowers and fresh fruits of red elderberry are used to treat tumors, cancer, osteochondrosis, arthrosis deformans, and heel spurs.

Dosage forms and doses.
Infusion of red elderberry flowers. 1 teaspoon of dried crushed flowers is poured with 1 glass of boiling water, left for 15 minutes, filtered. Take warm, half a glass 2 rubles. per day 30 minutes before meals or between meals. Drink slowly, in small sips. The infusion is used as a diaphoretic for colds, flu, sore throat, as well as for respiratory diseases, headaches, arthritis, and rheumatism.

Tincture of red elderberry flowers in vodka. Flowers are placed in glassware, pour vodka in a ratio of 1:5, close the lid, leave for 15 days in a cool, dark place, filter. Take 25–30 drops 3 times a day. per day for the same indications as the water infusion, as well as for pathological menopause.

Decoction of red elderberry flowers for external use. 1 tablespoon of dried flowers per glass of water, after boiling, cook over low heat for 5 minutes, remove from heat, filter after 10 minutes. Used as a rinse.

Tincture of red elderberry fruits for arthrosis. Glass jar fill 3/4 of the volume with fresh berries, fill to the top with vodka, close with a lid, leave in a dark place for 5-6 weeks. Lubricate with tincture problem areas, 2-3 r. per day, doing a light rubbing. Used for osteochondrosis, deforming arthrosis, “heel spur”.
Treatment can be lengthy, and improvement may take several months to begin. To enhance therapeutic effect It is advisable to take a water infusion or tincture of flowers orally 2 times a day. The drugs are taken internally in courses - 3 weeks on, then 3 weeks off, etc.

For pancreatic cancer. 1 tablespoon of dried red elderberry flowers is poured with a glass of boiling water, left for 1 hour, filtered. Take a third of a glass 3 times between meals. per day with tincture of black poplar or silver birch buds (15 drops of tincture per dose). Take the infusion with tincture for one month, then take a break for 1 month, etc.

Red elderberry berries have been used in folk medicine since ancient times. The healing properties of the plant are multifaceted and help with various diseases. The fruits have slight toxicity, but this does not prohibit their use in reasonable dosages.

What is the composition of red elderberries?

First of all, you need to understand the chemical composition of the plant. It contains a wide variety of chemical compounds. It is based on such rare and valuable substances as:

essential oils of plant origin;
saccharides;
organic acids;
isoamylamine;
carotene.

It also contains malic and ascorbic acids. The natural sugars fructose and glucose give the berries a sweet taste. Despite this, in general, the taste of fresh red elderberries is not the most pleasant.

Among the vitamins and minerals one can highlight vitamins C, A, PP, B1, B2 and B5, as well as copper, potassium, iron, selenium, sodium and some other substances valuable for the human body. The caloric content of red elderberry berries is equal to 73 kcal per 100 g.

Can you eat red elderberries?

Red elderberry berries contain more toxic substances compared to the black variety of the plant. Some experts note that heat treatment and drying kill poisons, making the fruits safe for health. Despite this, it is not recommended to abuse products based on herbal components.

Red elderberry is useful for many cosmetic problems and skin diseases. The substances present in the berries accelerate skin restoration. They stop inflammatory processes and have many other beneficial effects.

Also when correct use the fruits of the plant can be used to prepare multiple decoctions, infusions and other remedies taken orally. To get the full benefits, it is important to follow the dosage and take breaks between courses of treatment.

Medicinal properties of red elderberry

Traditional medicine has not yet recognized useful composition red elderberry, but it is used in the manufacture of some cosmetics. At the same time, berries are often used in folk recipes, as they have the following effects:

laxative;
antiseptic;
reducing temperature;
diuretic;
anesthetic;
antimicrobial;
anti-inflammatory.

Using these properties correctly, you can effectively fight many diseases.

What are red elderberries used for?

First of all, red elderberry berries can be used to prepare healthy and sufficiently delicious juice. It is a powerful means of preventing various diseases. To prepare the drink, you need to pour boiling water over the fruits and then squeeze the juice from them. Next, add sugar to taste and bring the mixture to a boil. It is recommended to drink the juice 50 ml per day in courses of 1-2 weeks with breaks per month.

Many other folk remedies are prepared from dried fruits, since drying destroys the harmful glycoside sambucinigrin (we’ll talk about it below). A decoction of elderberries, which has a wide range of applications, is highly effective.

To combat foot fungus, pour two tablespoons of berries into a glass of water, bring to a boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes. When the product has cooled, strain it and add 300-400 ml of cool or warm water. You need to soak your feet in the prepared broth for 20-30 minutes.
You can do something good universal remedy from a glass of boiling water and a spoon of ripe fruits. Leave to brew for several hours and then strain. Take the infusion orally with a large spoon up to three times a day. It creates all of the above beneficial effects, so it can be used for various disorders in the body.
If you suffer from stomach ulcers or gastritis, you can prepare an infusion of dry berries. Pour three liters of boiling water over a couple of spoons of dried fruits and take 100 ml of the product before main meals, eating 15-20 g butter. Treatment must be continued for a month (this will take about 8 liters of tincture), after which a 3-week break is needed.
An alcohol tincture with red elderberry berries helps with arthritis and other joint pathologies. Fill a suitable glass container ¾ full with ripe berries, and then fill it to the top with vodka. Under a tight lid, the product should be stored in dark place at least a month. When it is ready, use it for compresses or lotions.
Some even use red elderberries to prevent and support therapy. oncological diseases. For these purposes, the following remedy is prepared: a 3-liter jar is filled with ripe fresh berries, and 250 ml of cognac is poured into it. The product is infused for two weeks in a dark place. You need to stir periodically. Subsequently, the berries are ground into porridge and placed in a jar along with the juice. Add 100 ml of birch bud infusion with vodka (prepared 1 to 10), after which it is infused for another 1-2 weeks. Ready product taken three times a day an hour before meals for two months, and after three weeks the course can be repeated.

Red elderberry poisoning

Red elderberries have beneficial features, there is no doubt about it, but they must be used with caution. The juice of fresh fruits contains sambunigrin and amygdalin - pharmacologically similar to potassium cyanide, but have a significantly lower concentration. If products prepared on the basis of this component are abused, even poisoning cannot be ruled out. The body's oxidative processes and tissue restoration functions are disrupted. Body temperature drops and general health worsens, and for a long time.

The greatest danger lies in unripe berries, from which it is not recommended to prepare decoctions and infusions. Symptoms appear within an hour, and they look like this:

severe headaches;
feeling of dry mouth (sore throat, cough, choking);
stomach upset of different nature;
pain in the abdomen;
abnormal heart rhythm (increased heart rate with occasional slowdown);
whitish spots on the face and hands;
dyspnea;
convulsions (observed in severe poisoning).

Acute contraindications

We have determined why red elderberry is useful and what harm it can cause, but there are still contraindications. Among them are the following:

children under the age of 14-15 years;
pregnancy;
breast-feeding;
allergic reactions.

Red elderberry, also known as bushy elderberry or common elderberry (lat. Sambucus racemosa) – perennial, which is a low shrub or tree. Known for quite a long time European countries as an element of the garden landscape, and as ornamental shrub near private houses. In addition, people have long used the beneficial properties of this plant.

Red elderberry is a shrub with a large number of straight stems coming from the base (in rare cases, a tree), the height of which varies from one and a half to three to five meters.
The bark may be smooth or flaky to the touch. On the surface of the bark there are lentils (white tubercles), through which the plant breathes.

In spring, large, oval-ovoid buds appear. The leaves are opposite, imparipinnate, and consist of five to seven leaflets. The leaves are ovate or elongated-lanceolate, have a serrated-toothed edge, the length varies from five to ten centimeters. The leaves have a specific characteristic smell. The anthocyanin content in young leaves is quite high, so they have a dark red or purple-black hue.

The flowers of the shrub are small, with a strong unpleasant aroma. The plant has flowers of both sexes. The perianth is double, five-membered. The corolla is wheel-shaped, light yellow or greenish-yellow, closer to golden in color. The flower has five stamens. Elderberry begins to bloom in the second half of May, or at the beginning of June, at the same time the leaves bloom, this period lasts about half a month. Pollen yellow color, pollen grains are tricolate-oroshaped, ellipsoidal in shape.

The fruit is a drupe, bright scarlet in color. Ripening occurs in the second half of July or early August. The berries have a characteristic, unpleasant taste and aroma, but when ripe it cannot be called poisonous.
The most popular variety, which is widely used in landscape design city parks and squares, and also grows on personal plots gardeners, the Sutherland Gold variety is considered. This variety has beautiful and dense golden yellow foliage.

The difference between black elderberry and red elderberry

There are more than twenty species of elderberry in nature, most of them are attributed medicinal properties, but at the same time, many of its types are famous for their aesthetic merits, due to which they are widely used in decorative purposes on personal plots.
Within our country there are nine species that are shrubs, trees or herbaceous plants. Red, black and Canadian species elderberries.

Other differences between these types are as follows:

The fruits of the black elderberry can be eaten as they are considered edible. Red elderberry has a characteristically unpleasant fruit taste, so its fruits are not recommended for consumption.
The height of the red elderberry plant is significantly greater than that of the black elderberry.
Plants of these two species differ in the structure and shade of the leaves.
The smell of these two species is also different.

The taste of red elderberry is not the only reason for its inedibility. Red elderberry is poisonous. Unripe parts of the plant and fruits are toxic; they contain a toxic substance – sambunigrin.

Chemical composition of berries

Little is known about the chemical composition of red elderberry, since no one has undertaken a thorough study of this issue. It is known that it contains a sufficient amount of vitamin C, as well as tannin, sugars (glucose, fructose), essential oils, organic acids, tannins, mineral salts and resins.
Unripe parts of the plant and fruits contain the poisonous glycoside sambunigrin, which breaks down into benzaldehyde and hydrocyanic acid.

Useful properties of the plant

The fruits and other parts of the red elderberry plant are known for their beneficial properties. However, this plant is not officially used for medical purposes - its composition and effect on the human body have not been sufficiently studied.

Use in folk medicine

Medicinal properties are popularly attributed to the flowers, fruits, leaves and roots of the bush. The plant has antispasmodic, antipyretic, anesthetic effects. Different parts of elderberry may help treat symptoms of the following diseases:

Bronchitis, severe cough. An infusion from the bark of the plant can relieve phlegm in the lungs.
Cold, fever. An infusion of dry berries has a diaphoretic effect and reduces elevated body temperature.
Hormonal imbalance, menopause. Taking orally, drops, tinctures from elder flowers, in alcohol, normalizes the general condition of the female body.
Migraine. For this disease, a decoction of red elderberry flowers is used.

Decoctions and tinctures from the fruits, leaves and other parts of elderberry also help with kidney and liver diseases, skin rashes, allergies, diseases of the cardiovascular system, arthritis, psoriasis, and various inflammatory processes.

Other uses

Besides decorative use Red elderberry is also used in gardening to repel pests and rodents. To do this indoors or nearby cultivated plants lay out the stems and leaves of red elderberry. Their smell can repel some types of pests.
In their garden plots, gardeners use elderberry as a natural detergent. Its fruits, despite the fact that they do not form foam, cope well with dirty hands and dirt on household surfaces.

In European countries, green paint is made from red elderberry, the seeds are processed into oil, which is later used for technical purposes, and alcohol is made from the fruits.

Contraindications for use

Flowers, fruits, leaves of red elderberry are toxic, so use them in medicinal purposes should be done with extreme caution.

For medicinal preparations use only ripe fruits, mature shoots and leaves, otherwise the content of hydrocyanic acid can only harm the body. You should also not treat children under twelve years of age, pregnant or lactating women with folk recipes based on elderberry.

Red elderberry poisoning

Not everyone is aware that the fruits of the bush are toxic. If children eat red elderberries, call an ambulance emergency assistance, since a small organism is unable to cope with poisoning on its own.

Signs of poisoning: dizziness, spatial disorientation, nausea and vomiting, bitterness in the throat, sore throat, abdominal pain, diarrhea, increased salivation, increased heart rate.
An adult who has been poisoned can be helped by the following measures: flushing the stomach with a light solution of potassium permanganate, inducing vomiting, laxatives and charcoal.

Red elderberry is a wonderful ornamental plant, widely used in folk medicine. Whether it is poisonous or not depends on the content of hydrocyanic acid in it, the level of which decreases during ripening.

Red elderberry has long gained popularity among landscape designers, and among traditional healers. This unpretentious plant has a high decorative value, therefore it is actively used in decorating parks, alleys and private garden plots. In folk medicine, all parts of the plant are used to prepare medicines for various ailments.

Botanical description

Red elderberry, the medicinal properties and contraindications for the use of which have long been known to folk medicine, is a branched shrub, usually not reaching a height of more than 3.5 m. The bark of the trunk and branches is covered with wrinkles and grooves, has a brown color, but on young shoots it turns purple shade. The leaves are imparipinnate, have 5-7 pointed, serrated, oblong leaflets.

Flowers are collected in inflorescences in the form of a standing panicle. The calyx of each flower has 5 teeth, the petals of the corolla are soldered. When they first open, they have a greenish tint; later they become yellowish-white. The bush begins to bloom around the end of April, and in July clusters of bright red berries appear on it, having an unpleasant cloying taste. The type of fruit is a drupe. Each berry contains 3-4 seeds. Birds, eating them in large quantities, contribute to the active dispersal of the crop over long distances.

Red elderberry is a shrub that has a high growth rate, growing almost a meter per season. Due to its propensity for abundant branching, red elderberry is often used as a hedge. Fruiting begins at 3-4 years of age.

Chemical composition

To understand whether this elderberry is edible or not, you need to study it chemical composition. All parts of the plant are medicinal, but their composition varies slightly. For example, flowers contain the following substances:

In addition to these elements, the tree bark also contains phytosterol, ceryl alcohol, and also quite a large number of pectin substances. And the fruits also contain sambunigrin, which makes them toxic to humans. Berries also contain fatty oils, ascorbic acid, amino acids.

In ancient times, the juice of red elderberries was used as a dye. The spongy tissue located inside the branches is now used as an insulating layer in various precision instruments.

Procurement of raw materials

Red elderberry, like black elderberry, must be properly prepared. Each part of the plant is collected in a strictly defined manner. optimal time. Bark for medicinal purposes is cut only from young trees. It is best to harvest in the spring, when sap flow begins.

Flowers are harvested when they are fully open. Berries are cut only when they are ripe, as unripe fruits are extremely toxic.

The raw materials are dried in a shady and well-ventilated place, protected from moisture and direct sun rays. After drying, separate the stalks from the berries, crush the flowers and sift them. The bark is chopped and ground in a coffee grinder. Store in a tightly sealed glass container at an air humidity of no more than 65% and a temperature of +5 to +25 degrees Celsius, out of the reach of children. The leaves are collected during flowering, and the roots are also used for medicinal purposes.

Use in folk medicine

Red elderberry, whose beneficial properties are used in medicine to treat various diseases, serves as the basis for the preparation of many medicines. Traditional healers use the plant as follows:

Excellent jams and preserves are prepared from fresh red elderberry fruits, and the juice is also squeezed out. To prepare healthy juice, the berries are scalded, rubbed through a sieve, and the resulting juice and pulp are brought to a boil with the addition of sugar or honey to taste. But you need to consume it in a strict dosage of no more than 50 g per day. The juice of the fruits of this plant helps restore metabolism and has an immunomodulatory and general strengthening effect.

Elderberry jam helps people with severe weather sensitivity tolerate weather changes and geomagnetic storms.

Contraindications for use

Despite the long list of beneficial medicinal properties, it is necessary to remember that red elderberry is still a poisonous plant, and therefore has a number of contraindications . Medicines based on this plant are prohibited from being taken by people of the following categories:

children under 14 years of age;
pregnant and breastfeeding women;
people with chronic diseases Gastrointestinal tract or diabetes.

To prevent acute poisoning with hydrocyanic acid, it is necessary to adhere to the strictly described dosage, and also not to eat fresh unripe fruits, leaves and stems.

Dried berries and leaves are devoid of toxic substances, however, like any other folk medicine, they require caution in use - it is necessary to use elderberry-based medicines carefully, carefully monitoring the body's reaction and well-being. The root decoction has a high concentration active ingredients, therefore it is used mainly externally.

Apply medicines is possible only if the technology of preparation and procurement of plant materials is observed.

Side effects and overdose

Infusions and decoctions of red elderberry are moderately toxic. If the recommended dosage is exceeded, medicines based on this plant can cause nausea and vomiting. Hydrocyanic acid, contained in the fruits and bark of the bush, provokes oxygen starvation at the cellular level and can cause cardiac arrest, so elderberry-based preparations must be used with caution.

The first signs of hypoxia of body tissues appear in the form of shortness of breath and increased breathing rhythm. Against this background, blood pressure may increase, and the pulse, on the contrary, may slow down. If nothing is done, death is possible.

Excessive intoxication can be caused by unripe berries. This can cause a strong drop in body temperature, loose stools, vomiting, as well as a general deterioration in health. Oxygen starvation in brain cells can result in irreversible processes of death of nerve cells and other pathological changes. As a result, irreparable damage will be caused to the body.

Due to all contraindications and side effects a completely logical question arises: is it advisable to use such dangerous plant to treat yourself and your family, or is it still better to entrust your health to officially recognized medications? In any case, the use of various folk remedies remains on your conscience.

Elderberry in farming and cosmetology

There are also safe ways to use this crop. On the farm, elderberry leaves and branches are used to repel rodents - they do not like its smell and they try to avoid both the places where this plant is located and the houses near which it is planted.

The tree is actively used in landscape design as an ornamental plant and as a soil strengthener - its roots prevent possible landslides.

In cosmetology, this culture is highly valued because healing properties. Thanks to the plant, the skin of the face and neck acquires a healthy shade, silky texture and gets rid of the annoying manifestations of the aging process - small and large facial wrinkles, as well as small scars and enlarged pores.

To restore sensitive skin, the following folk cosmetology recipe is used:

6−7 dried whole inflorescences;
200 ml boiling water.

The ingredients are mixed and infused for 15-20 minutes, then filtered through a sieve. Wipe the skin with the infusion twice a day - in the morning and before bed. The procedure is repeated for two weeks, preparing a fresh product every day.

The whitening effect of fruits is also known. They are used to prepare a tonic that is used to lighten freckled skin. For this, 3 tbsp. l. fresh berries are poured into 0.5 liters of boiling water, infused a little, and then boiled for 10 minutes. After cooling, filter and wipe problem areas.

Ripe berries can be used to thoroughly clean the skin of your hands after working in the garden - just rub them in your palms. Thanks to its acid content, elderberry is able to cleanse any contaminants down to resin. coniferous trees. In addition, it softens the skin well and prevents peeling and drying out.

More than forty are known in nature various types elderberries. In our area, only red and black elderberries are found growing wild. Both varieties are actively used both in folk medicine and in gardening. However, when using medicines from red elderberry, one must not forget about its toxicity, and also warn children that its red berries cannot be eaten.

Observing basic rules safety, you can safely decorate your site with a hedge made from this beautiful fast growing shrub, which will delight you most of the year with lush greenery, beautiful panicles of yellowish loose inflorescences, and by the end of summer, thick clusters of bright red berries.

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Elderberry is herbaceous plant woody type, deciduous, belonging to the Adoxaceae family. There are at least 40 species of elderberry around the world. This plant had not previously grown in Russia and most CIS countries, and was introduced at the beginning of the 20th century as an ornamental shrub. The elderberry plant was widely used for beautifying parks, squares, and personal plots. It was used to form hedges, and to plant wastelands and ravines with poor and clayey soils.

Today the bush is fully adapted to Russian climatic conditions and is actively developing in most of the country. By appearance elderberry resembles a low-growing tree, the height of which does not exceed 3-5 meters. The leaves of the plant are large and long. The fruits are presented in the form of many small berries with a minimal amount of pulp and a large seed. Depending on the type of shrub, the berry may have a bright red or dark purple color. Elderberry can be found not only in cultural public places, but also in the wild.

Plant species

Despite the prevalence of the shrub, in Russia its species diversity is not as wide as it seems at first glance. It is mainly represented by the following types:

Red elderberry. It is believed that this is a poisonous plant that has a toxic effect on the human body who eats its fruits. Another bushy tree is known as elderberry or common elderberry.
Black elderberry plant. This is a wild bird cherry that can be found on roadsides and in parks in the form of small bushes, evenly trimmed, forming a natural fence. Such plants are full of small black and purple berries. This elderberry is poisonous, but it is not as toxic as the red elderberry.
Herbaceous. This type can be classified as wild shrubs that are not used by people for cultural purposes for landscaping. This plant is also called oil-blooming, stinking, or dog elderberry. Its fruits are exactly the same as the black elderberries - dark purple, but larger in size.

The fruits of the latter type of shrub are widely used in folk medicine to treat inflammation of the upper respiratory tract, joints, stomach and duodenum. A decoction of the leaves of this plant normalizes stool and improves intestinal motility.

Is it possible to get poisoned by elderberry?

All types of this woody shrub pose a danger to the human body. The juice of this plant contains the substance sambunigrin and
amygdalin. These are cyanogenic glycosides, the pharmacognosy of which resembles the action of potassium cyanide, but in much lower concentrations. When ingesting the leaves, juice or dried bark of the bush,
severe problems arise food poisoning. Dogberry and red elderberries have the same properties. It is strictly forbidden to eat their fruits. Only have no toxic effects on human health ripe berries black elderberry, but if they are not yet ripe, then their composition also continues to contain dangerous poison.

After berries, leaves, inflorescences or young shoots of a plant enter the stomach, their toxic juice begins to be absorbed into the intestinal walls and dosed into the blood. As a result of this process, gradual damage to the central nervous system. The poison of this shrub is so strong that poisoning can be obtained even if there was contact with the leaves, and then the person simply did not wash his hands before eating. Such cases occur in rural areas, when people put things in order in their garden plots, removing elderberries as an unnecessary plant.

Poisoning occurs 30 minutes later, and sometimes 1.5 hours after the toxins enter the human body. In all cases without exception, a characteristic clinical picture poor health, which manifests itself in the form of the following symptoms:

Severe headache and dizziness.
Dry mouth and choking. My throat feels sore and I want to cough all the time.
Gastrointestinal upset (nausea, loose stools, vomiting).
Pain in the stomach area with a shift to the middle of the abdomen.
Disruption of the heart muscle. The pulse may increase to 120 beats per minute and then suddenly slow down, as in bradycardia.
The skin of the face and hands becomes covered with white spots. During diarrhea, stool becomes white. It's connected with harmful effects cyanide glycosides affect the functioning of the liver and gallbladder, when there is an excessive release of bile into the gastrointestinal tract.
Shortness of breath and frequent shallow breathing.
Cramps. They occur only in cases of severe poisoning, when a person has eaten a large number of berries, or has been poisoned by a concentrated decoction of the plant, having not correctly calculated the dosage during treatment with traditional medicine.

Elderberry toxins are little active in an acidic environment. Therefore, most of the cyanide glycosides are neutralized in the stomach, but as soon as the harmful food enters the alkaline environment of the duodenum, the toxic effect increases several times.

Help for elderberry poisoning

If it has been established that the poisoned person had contact with this plant, then he needs to be provided with complete physical and emotional rest. The patient should be given as much warm water to drink as possible. boiled water. It is advisable that a single fluid intake be at least 1 liter. This will allow for natural gastric lavage. Most likely, a person will immediately vomit this water and remove it from the digestive organ significant amount toxic substances. If vomiting does not occur by itself, then you need to induce it by pressing your fingers on the root of the tongue.

Cases of poisoning must be reported to ambulance. While doctors are on the road, the patient can be given 2 tablespoons of Enterosgel sorbent or 5 tablets of activated carbon. These medications will reduce the toxic effect poisonous plant, and will help the body's immune system resist cyanide glycoside molecules. If a patient is hospitalized, a gastric lavage is performed in a hospital setting, medications are administered intravenously that relieve intoxication and trigger recovery processes in the body.

If medical care is not provided in a timely manner to an adult or child who has eaten elderberries, chemical destruction of the central nervous system with paralysis of the respiratory and cardiovascular centers of the brain cannot be ruled out. Ultimately, this leads to the patient developing acute pulmonary and heart failure. This pathological condition in 90% of cases it ends in death. Children are at particular risk because their vital resources are much weaker than those of adults, and they love to try unknown berries.

Prevention of poisoning

To prevent the harmful effects of elderberry on the human body, you need to adhere to simple, but also effective measures security, namely:

Do not pick unripe berries.
Try not to eat fruits unless you are sure of their ripeness.
Tell children about the dangers of this bush.
Do not plant elderberries near playgrounds and educational institutions.
Drink elderberry decoctions and tinctures with caution.

The main thing to remember is that timely preventive measures will help you maintain your health and avoid becoming a victim of the toxic effects of a poisonous plant.