Anti-Influenza Virus Effects of Elderberry Juice and Its Fractions
Biosci Biotechnol Biochem (2012)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22972323/
- Conducted mass spectrometry experiments and analyses, which is the typical method by which biochemical components of different compounds are quantified and separated from each other
- Results suggest elderberry juice would interact with early stages of viral (influenza) replication, including viral attachment and penetration into host cell
- Virus-infected mice using elderberry showed less weight loss compared to those not treated with elderberry. This indicates that weight loss, which is one of the severe outcomes of influenza infection, is reduced when elderberry is administered.
- Observed significant reduction of virus yield in bronchoalveolar samples after administration of elderberry. This suggests that elderberry could facilitate viral reduction in bronchial infections like bronchitis, but this would need to be confirmed using additional research.
- Antiviral drug (osteltamivir) showed greater effect on viral yield than elderberry.
- However, elderberry showed significant antibody responses (and the antiviral drug showed no antibody response!).
- These two last points reveal that anti-viral vs. elderberry have different beneficial effects in viral infections. While anti-viral drugs will have a greater effect on reducing the amount of virus, elderberry facilitates the development of long-lasting immunity. Said another way, an anti-viral will reduce the virus more quickly, but elderberry will help your body keep from getting sick in the future.
Keywords: anti-viral, influenza, comparison to anti-viral drug, antibody response