Sambuci flos

Sambuci flos, also known as elderflower, is a drug used in herbal medicinal products for the treatment of colds.

Quality is defined in the European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.).

HMPC monograph: Traditional-use: first symptoms of a cold
ESCOP monograph: diaphoretic for banal colds, fever, chills.
Commission e-monograph: colds

Empirical medicine: Induction of sweating cures, colds, feverish conditions, coughs, colds, laryngitis or flu, also as gargle. Also used to increase milk flow in women who have recently given birth. Efficacy not proven for these indications.

Sambuci flos contains up to 3.5 % flavonoids, mainly rutin. Other ingredients are triterpenes, hydroxyphenylcarboxylic acids (including plenty of chlorogenic acid), up to 0.2 % essential oil, phytosterols and mucilage.

Sambuci flos has diaphoretic, antioxidant and immunostimulant effects, moreover, elderflower increases bronchial secretion. Inhibition of helicobacter adhesion to the gastric mucosa.

Sambuci flos is used for colds.

An infusion of 2 tablespoons of fresh (or 1 tablespoon of dried) flowers (the whole flowering umbels are cut) with 250ml of boiling water is recommended. Cover and leave to infuse for 8-10 minutes. Strain. Dosage: drink 3 cups daily.

Elderflowers can also be used as a bath additive.

The average daily dose of the drug is between 10.0 and 15.0 g. It can be taken in crushed form as an infusion (1 to 2 cups of tea daily).

There are no known adverse effects.

Pregnancy and lactation, and children and adolescents under 12 years due to lack of data. Allergy to one of the ingredients

There are no known interactions with other ingredients.

1. Schilcher H (ed.) in, Leitfaden Phytotherapie, Urban & Fischer Verlag (2016) Munich, p.159 f.
2. https://arzneipflanzenlexikon.info/holunder.php
3. https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-monograph/final-european-union-herbal-monograph-sambucus-nigra-l-flos-revision-1_en.pdf
4. https://pflanzen.fnr.de/industriepflanzen/arzneipflanzen/pflanzen-datenbank
5. https://www.awl.ch/heilpflanzen/sambucus_nigra/holunder.htm

6. Blaschek W (2015) Wichtl tea drugs and phytopharmaceuticals. A handbook for practice. Wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft Munich. S 583-585