Red Elder vs Speedwell Herb

Red-berried elder of mountain Europe and North America; berries mildly toxic raw but used in folk medicine after cooking; bark used as emetic.

Small European creeping plant used in folk medicine for respiratory and skin conditions, once prominent in European pharmacopoeias.

sambunigrin, cyanogenic glycosides, flavonoids, tannins, anthocyanins

aucubin, verproside, caffeic acid, luteolin, iridoids

Respiratory conditions in Scandinavian folk medicine, Native American use of bark for emesis, Wound healing poultice, Laxative and diuretic bark preparations

Respiratory and cough in European folk medicine, Skin conditions and wound healing, Kidney and urinary conditions, Digestive bitters

Antioxidant anthocyanins, Folk medicine documentation

Expectorant, Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant, Mild diuretic

Ripe cooked berries only; bark decoction 1–2 g with extreme caution

2-4g dried herb tea 3x daily; 2-4ml tincture 3x daily

Raw berries or bark in large doses, Pregnancy, Children without supervision

Pregnancy in large doses

Vomiting from raw berries or bark, GI irritation

Generally well tolerated