Today, more than 40 elderberry species are known . Red elderberry (buchkan, elderberry, tarsus, Kalinka, pischnik) is an unpretentious shrub plant up to three meters high, which grows well both in the sun and in the shade, resistant to smoke and gas contamination. This plant is characterized by high frost resistance. Elderberry flowers are small, yellow-white. Elderberry blooms in the second half of May, and its red berries ripen in July.
This shrub is used for landscaping squares, streets, parks, strengthening slopes, ravines from drying out, and it can also be often found in abandoned sites and forest edges. Its fruits are not poisonous. Elderberry red is very rarely used as a medicine. In folk medicine, the juice from the elderberry is used as a diaphoretic and anti-inflammatory agent. The bark and its fruits are an effective emetic and laxative. To treat rheumatism, Cathars sometimes use dried fruits and elderberry inflorescences.
Red elderberry seeds in some European countries are used to produce oil, which is used for technical purposes. Green paint is obtained from the leaves, and alcohol is obtained from the fruits. Wood is used in turning production, a variety of toys, coils, tweeters, bobbins, pipes, bobbins are made from young branches.
Due to its biochemical composition, elderberry white, black and red are effective repellents. This plant repels insects, ticks, rats, mice, etc. well. Therefore, elderberries are often planted near sheds, barns, as well as other agricultural structures. Black elderberry from red can be distinguished not only by fruit, but also by inflorescence. Red elderberry has flowers with a greenish tint and an unpleasant odor, while black elderberry has white flowers and smell like almonds.
Red elderberry is widely used in folk medicine, it is found in the fruits, bark, roots and flowers of this plant. Leaves, branches and inflorescences contain tannins, low molecular weight carboxylic acids (malic, acetic, valerianic), monosaccharides (fructose, glucose), vitamins (ascorbic acid, carotene, rutin), paraffin-like compounds, terpenoids, betulin, choline, erysyl alcohol acid. Unripe fruits contain toxic substances: sambunigrin, hydrocyanic acid, benzaldehyde aldehyde.
Due to its unique composition, elderberry exhibits anti-inflammatory, antipyretic and disinfectant effects. It is used for colds, headaches, stomatitis, ascites, bronchial asthma, tonsillitis, neuralgia, osteochondrosis, psoriasis, menopause. There are no specific contraindications to its use. Since preparations based on red elderberry are still not well understood, they must be used with extreme caution.
To treat diseases, traditional healers use decoctions and infusions from roots, branches and flowers. To prepare a decoction from the roots, take a teaspoon of crushed dry roots of red elderberry and pour a glass of water, after which they are boiled for 5 minutes. Then they insist for an hour, filter, add water to the original volume and take three times a day for 1 tbsp. spoon after eating. This solution has antipyretic, laxative and diuretic properties. A decoction of elderberry branches is used as a diuretic and diaphoretic. For the treatment of rheumatism, bronchial asthma, an infusion of elderberry flowers is prescribed, which is taken in 2 tbsp. tablespoons three times a day after meals.
Since red elderberry is not an officially recognized medicinal plant, experts do not recommend its use for the treatment of various diseases.