Barak V, Halperin T, Kalickman I
Immunology Laboratory for Tumor Diagnosis, Department of Oncology, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel.
Eur Cytokine Netw. 2001 Apr-Jun;12(2):290-6.
Sambucus nigra L. products - Sambucol - are based on a standardized black elderberry extract. They are natural remedies with antiviral properties, especially against different strains of influenza virus. Sambucol was shown to be effective in vitro against 10 strains of influenza virus. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study, Sambucol reduced the duration of flu symptoms to 3-4 days. Convalescent phase serum showed a higher antibody level to influenza virus in the Sambucol group, than in the control group. The present study aimed to assess the effect of Sambucol products on the healthy immune system - namely, its effect on cytokine production. The production of inflammatory cytokines was tested using blood - derived monocytes from 12 healthy human donors. Adherent monocytes were separated from PBL and incubated with different Sambucol preparations i.e., Sambucol Elderberry Extract, Sambucol Black Elderberry Syrup, Sambucol Immune System and Sambucol for Kids. Production of inflammatory cytokines (IL-1 beta, TNF-alpha, IL-6, IL-8) was significantly increased, mostly by the Sambucol Black Elderberry Extract (2-45 fold), as compared to LPS, a known monocyte activator (3.6-10.7 fold). The most striking increase was noted in TNF-alpha production (44.9 fold). We conclude from this study that, in addition to its antiviral properties, Sambucol Elderberry Extract and its formulations activate the healthy immune system by increasing inflammatory cytokine production. Sambucol might therefore be beneficial to the immune system activation and in the inflammatory process in healthy individuals or in patients with various diseases. Sambucol could also have an immunoprotective or immunostimulatory effect when administered to cancer or AIDS patients, in conjunction with chemotherapeutic or other treatments. In view of the increasing popularity of botanical supplements, such studies and investigations in vitro, in vivo and in clinical trials need to be developed.
黑接骨木产品——黑接骨木莓糖浆（Sambucol）——是以标准化的黑接骨木提取物为基础制成的。它们是具有抗病毒特性的天然药物，尤其对不同毒株的流感病毒有效。黑接骨木莓糖浆在体外对10种流感病毒毒株显示出有效性。在一项双盲、安慰剂对照、随机研究中，黑接骨木莓糖浆将流感症状的持续时间缩短至3 - 4天。恢复期血清显示，黑接骨木莓糖浆组针对流感病毒的抗体水平高于对照组。本研究旨在评估黑接骨木莓糖浆产品对健康免疫系统的作用——即其对细胞因子产生的影响。使用来自12名健康人类供体的血液单核细胞测试炎性细胞因子的产生。将贴壁单核细胞从外周血淋巴细胞中分离出来，并与不同的黑接骨木莓糖浆制剂一起孵育，即黑接骨木莓提取物、黑接骨木莓糖浆、免疫系统黑接骨木莓糖浆和儿童黑接骨木莓糖浆。与已知的单核细胞激活剂脂多糖（LPS）（3.6 - 10.7倍）相比，炎性细胞因子（白细胞介素 - 1β、肿瘤坏死因子 - α、白细胞介素 - 6、白细胞介素 - 8）的产生显著增加，主要是黑接骨木莓提取物（2 - 45倍）。肿瘤坏死因子 - α的产生增加最为显著（44.9倍）。我们从这项研究得出结论，除了其抗病毒特性外，黑接骨木莓提取物及其制剂通过增加炎性细胞因子的产生来激活健康免疫系统。因此，黑接骨木莓糖浆可能有益于健康个体或患有各种疾病的患者的免疫系统激活和炎症过程。当与化疗或其他治疗联合使用时，黑接骨木莓糖浆对癌症或艾滋病患者也可能具有免疫保护或免疫刺激作用。鉴于植物性补充剂越来越受欢迎，需要开展此类体外、体内和临床试验的研究与调查。
