According to a study done by researchers at the University of Sydney, elderberries possess antiviral characteristics and can fight against viruses and infections.
One of the study’s co-authors, Golnoosh Torabian, Ph.D. explains that their study has shown the powerful and direct antiviral effect of elderberries against the flu virus.
It works by impeding the early stages of the infection via blockage of the key viral proteins that play a role in the viral attachment and entry into the cells.
What Did the Researchers Discover?
For the study, the team tested the effect of commercially farmed elderberries which they processed into a serum. The serum was administered at various stages of the influenza cycle, including before an infection with a flu virus and during the infection.
The team concluded that the phytochemicals (the natural substances of the elderberry serum) had a mild inhibitory effect shortly before the virus was about to infect a cell. But, when the cell was infected, the same chemicals had a major effect on stopping the propagation of the virus.
