Long before elderberry gummies and pops, families were boiling elderberries into syrups and 'robs' for the cold months. The history is genuinely old, but some of the most-quoted lines about it are shakier than you'd think.
Written by Vita Globe Editorial Team | Reviewed against historical herbal scholarship, NIH (NCCIH) guidance and peer-reviewed research
How long has elderberry been used, and what was it used for?
Elder shows up in ancient Greek medical writing: scholars of the Hippocratic texts and of Dioscorides' De materia medica (1st century CE) record elder in remedies for swelling, fluid retention and other complaints[1]. By the 1700s, English household herbals described berries boiled with sugar into a 'rob of elder' for colds and sore throats[2]. Today NIH notes elderberry's folk use for colds and flu, with only modest modern evidence[3].
Caveat: A long tradition tells you what people used, not what works. Modern trials are small and mixed[5].
Sources: AHPA Herbs in History · JSTOR Daily · NCCIH · Verified 2026-09-28
IN THIS ARTICLE
Where does elderberry's story start?
Elder (the Sambucus genus) grows across Europe, North Africa and North America, so it's no surprise it turns up in some of the oldest medical texts we have. Historians Alain Touwaide and Emanuela Appetiti note that the Hippocratic writings used elder for a range of gynecological problems and for 'dropsy' (fluid swelling), and that Theophrastus even mentions elder wood in carpentry[1].
The most detailed ancient entry comes from Dioscorides, a first-century physician whose De materia medica was the largest ancient compilation of medicinal plants. He credited elder with 'refreshing' and fluid-drawing properties and listed uses from swelling to gout to dyeing hair[1].
Notice what's missing: colds and flu weren't the headline use in antiquity. That association grew later.
Did Hippocrates really call elder his 'medicine chest'?
You'll see this line on almost every elderberry label and blog, and some reputable popular sources repeat it[2]. We couldn't trace it to a specific passage in the Hippocratic texts, and the scholarly summary we relied on describes his actual uses (gynecological complaints and swelling) without the famous quote[1].
So our honest take: Hippocratic physicians did use elder, but treat the 'medicine chest' nickname as later folklore rather than a verified quote. It's a nice story; it isn't evidence.
How did elderberry become a cold-season remedy?
By the 18th century, elder was a fixture of European kitchen medicine. The Family Herbal (1754) described berries made into wine or 'boiled down with a little sugar' into the 'rob of elder', recommended for colds and sore throats. The same books used the inner bark as a strong laxative and elderflowers in cooling ointments[2].
In North America, Indigenous healers used elderberries and elderflowers for fevers and swelling and dried the berries for winter; 19th-century American dispensatories described the native Sambucus canadensis as a common, well-known medicinal plant[2].
That 'rob' is the direct ancestor of today's elderberry syrup. Cooking wasn't just tradition, either. It matters for safety, which is the next part of the story.
Why did traditional recipes always cook the berries?
Raw or unripe elderberries, plus the leaves and stems, contain compounds that can release cyanide and cause nausea, vomiting and severe diarrhea. NIH notes that cooking removes this risk[3]. A well-known CDC report from 1983 describes eleven people who got sick after drinking juice pressed from wild elderberries with leaves and branches still in and served uncooked[4].
The old habit of simmering berries into a syrup or rob turns out to be the step that made them safe to use. We cover this in more detail in Are Elderberries Poisonous?.
What does modern research add to the tradition?
Researchers have looked at black elder products in the lab and in small clinical trials. A 2017 review pulled together the lab and clinical research on the antiviral properties of black elder products[6]. A 2021 systematic review found only five randomized trials. Elderberry may shorten colds or flu symptoms a little, but the certainty of the evidence was low, and it did not clearly prevent colds[5].
The honest summary
- Elder has a genuinely long history in European and Indigenous North American medicine[1][2].
- The cold-and-flu use took hold in household herbals by the 1700s[2].
- Cooking the berries was, and still is, important[3].
- Modern trials are few and small, so 'traditional' shouldn't be read as 'proven'[5].
For the full research picture, see What Is Elderberry Good For? and What Is Black Elderberry?.
Our option
Vita Globe Vitalolli™ Elderberry Immune Support Lollipops
Mixed berry flavored lollipops made with elderberry, five to a pouch, with a suggested use of one lollipop a day. The product page lists them for kids ages 4+ and adults; they are gluten-free and non-GMO, contain coconut, and are tested by an independent third-party lab. Check the Supplement Facts panel on the package for the exact elderberry amount per pop.*
Frequently asked questions
Is elderberry an old remedy or a modern trend?
Both. Elder appears in ancient Greek medical writing and 18th-century herbals[1][2], but today's gummies, syrups and lollipops are modern formats built on that tradition.
What is 'rob of elder'?
A traditional preparation of elderberries boiled down with a little sugar, described in 18th-century household herbals for colds and sore throats[2]. It's essentially the ancestor of elderberry syrup.
Which elderberry is used in supplements?
Most supplements use black or European elder (Sambucus nigra), the species NIH's fact sheet covers[3]. North America also has native elder species with a long history of use[2].
Does a long history mean elderberry works?
No. Tradition tells you what people valued. The best current review rates the evidence for elderberry's effects on colds and flu as low certainty[5].
Is elderberry safe for kids?
Raw or unripe berries, leaves and stems are not safe; elderberry needs to be cooked[3]. Follow the product label's age guidance and talk to your pediatrician. Our guide to elderberry for kids covers age and dosing.
Sources
- Touwaide A, Appetiti E. Herbs in History: Elderberry. American Herbal Products Association. December 2022. www.ahpa.org/herbs_in_history_elderberry
- Williams M. Plant of the Month: Elderberry. JSTOR Daily. November 17, 2021 (updated 2025). daily.jstor.org/plant-of-the-month-elderberry
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH). Elderberry: Usefulness and Safety. Updated November 2024. www.nccih.nih.gov/health/european-elder
- Centers for Disease Control. Poisoning from elderberry juice — California. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 1984;33(13):173. www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00000311.htm
- Wieland LS, Piechotta V, Feinberg T, et al. Elderberry for prevention and treatment of viral respiratory illnesses: a systematic review. BMC Complement Med Ther. 2021;21(1):112. doi:10.1186/s12906-021-03283-5
- Porter RS, Bode RF. A review of the antiviral properties of black elder (Sambucus nigra L.) products. Phytother Res. 2017;31(4):533-554. doi:10.1002/ptr.5782
About the Vita Globe Editorial Team
The Vita Globe Editorial Team researches and writes our wellness content, working from peer-reviewed research, systematic reviews and guidance from bodies such as the NIH and the FDA. We cite our sources inline and update articles when the evidence changes.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice. Talk to your healthcare provider before starting any new supplement, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or caring for a child.
