By Hank Schultz

A recent blog post by an ethnobotanist based in California has reinvigorated interest in black elderberry as an immune health ingredient. The post, written by Kevin Curran, PhD, focuses on the research backing the immune boosting benefits of this dark purple berry ingredient. Curran, who manages a nascent medicinal plants research effort at the University of San Diego, is a biology professor at the private university who teaches classes in cell biology and ethnobotany. Since Curran’s blog post on his EthnoHerbalist website went up in mid April, it has become the number 1 hit on Google under the search term “Black Elderberry”. 

In the blog post titled “3 Benefits of Black Elderberry Syrup For Our Immune System”, Curran delves into the science behind this ingredient. He noted that, in common with many other herbal ingredients, enthusiasts will extrapolate from thin data to support outsized claims. Black Elderberry has been promoted for positive effects on HIV, Cancer and Alzheimer’s Disease, none of which in Curran’s view are well supported by available evidence. But, a more modest claim of shortening duration of common cold symptoms is well supported, he wrote. READ MORE