A deciduous shrub growing to 4-6 m (rarely to 10 m) tall. The leaves are arranged in opposite pairs, 10-30 cm long, pinnate with five to seven (rarely nine) leaflets, the leaflets 5-12 cm long and 3-5 cm broad, with a serrated margin. The flowers are borne in large corymbs 10-25 cm diameter in mid summer, the individual flowers white, 5-6 mm diameter, with five petals. The fruit is a dark purple to black berry 3-5 mm diameter, juicy.

Antiinflammatory, slightly diuretic and laxative, antiseptic and diaphoretic (flower); laxative, diuretic and diaphoretic (leaves); laxative and diuretic (berries)

Plants for a Future
Herb Information

Beta-amyrin, chlorogenic acid, cycloartenol, isoquercitrin, kaempferol, linoleic acid, lupeol, p-coumaric acid, rutin, tannins (flower); rutin and quercetin (flower and fruit); anthocyanin pigments, beta-carotene, malic acid, nicotinic acid, tyrosine, valerianic acid, vitamins A. B. and C (fruit); alpha-amyrin, beta-sitosterol, betulin, choline, oleanolic acid (bark); astragalin, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, riboflavin, shikimic acid, stearic acid, thiamin (plant); lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid (seed); oleic acid, quercetin, stigmasterol, tannin (leaf); ursolic acid (bark, flower, leaf)

For infections related to the chills, in bronchial asthma, as mouth-wash and gargle, hoarseness, rhinitis and gum inflammation (flower); in sciatica, rheumatism, migraine and cough (fruit); as snuff to stop bleeding of the nose (leaf powder); in epilepsy (bark or flower); in colds, inflamed throat, gout, rheumatism and neuralgia (berries)

Battelli MG. Citores L. Buonamici L. Ferreras JM. de Benito FM. Stirpe F. GirbesT. Toxicity and cytotoxicity of nigrin b. a two-chain ribosome-inactivating protein from Sambucus nigra: comparison with ricin. Arch Toxicol1997;71(6):360-4.