Ягоди бузини

Sambucus nigra is a temperate tree or shrub in the family Viburnaceae, often growing 6-10 metres tall. Sambucus nigra is native to Europe as far east as Turkey. The species has been introduced to parts of most other continents of the world. The fruit is a glossy, dark purple to black drupe 5-6 mm in diameter containing 3-5 seeds. The fruits are produced in drooping clusters in late autumn. The raw or unripe fruit of S. nigra or its extracts may contain a cyanogenic glycoside that is potentially toxic. The cooked berries (pulp and skin) of most species of Sambucus are edible. The dark blue or purple berries are edible though insipid in flavour when fully ripe, but toxic when immature. They can also be made into jam, jelly and wine.

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The Latin specific epithet nigra means black and refers to the deeply dark colour of the berries. Elderberry juice has an intense blue-purple colour that turns reddish on dilution with water. Of 34 volatile compounds reported in air-dried mature elderberries, aldehydes were the main constituents: phenylacetaldehyde (32.3%) and benzaldehyde (7.9%). In an analysis of wild-collected and cultivated elderberries, 102 volatile compounds were identified, and alcohols, aldehydes, and esters were the most abundant. In S. nigra berries, 42 monoterpene, 20 sesquiterpene, and 14 norisoprenoid compounds were identified. Ripening was the factor that most influenced the volatile fraction profile. The most abundant bioactive compounds in the essential oil of air-dried elderberry fruit were β-damascenone (36%) and linalyl anthranilate (24%).

The pigments of elderberry are used as colourants in various products. In Japan, elderberry juice is listed as an approved natural colour additive. Fibres can be dyed with elderberry juice, using alum as a mordant. The berries are an important food for many birds, including several that are otherwise primarily insectivorous. A total of 22 bird species were observed eating elderberries, and blackbird, song thrush, European robin, blackcap and common starling were the most important for dispersing the seeds. Except for the flowers and ripe berries, all parts of the plant, ripe seeds included, are poisonous to mammals, because they contain the cyanogenic glycoside sambunigrin.

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