Herb module
Jie Gu Mu
Elder (Elderberry and Elderflower)Sambucus nigra
A familiar hedgerow berry that Zoi uses to help the body push off surface invaders and keep the Lungs clear.
Jie Gu Mu is elder, the shrub whose dark berries and creamy flowers have been part of home herbal traditions for a very long time. In Traditional Chinese Medicine it is used to release the Exterior, meaning it helps the body move out influences that have settled at the surface, like those first chills and stuffiness. Zoi includes it in three formulas: Ríza™, The Zoi™, and Atsáli™.
Best functions
- Releases the Exterior, helping the body push out influences caught at the surface
- Clears Heat and dries Dampness
- Tonifies the Lung and helps expel Phlegm
- Promotes lactation
- Used to eliminate toxins in Zoi's allergy formula
Fascinating facts
- Elder is a shrub or small tree that produces broad, flat clusters of tiny cream-colored flowers in early summer, followed by drooping bunches of dark purple-black berries.
- The Chinese name Jie Gu Mu is commonly translated as "bone-joining wood."
- Noa's index describes elder as a Western herb that fits neatly into Traditional Chinese Medicine thinking, where it sits among the Wind-dispelling herbs.
- Zoi's formulas use elder in two forms: elderflower in Allergy Relief | Atsáli™, and elderberry in Women’s Health | Ríza™ and Longevity | The Zoi™. Atsáli™ carries both the flower and the berry.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine
Jie Gu Mu is neutral in nature, with a sweet and bitter flavor. It is a Wind-dispelling herb that enters the Lung, Kidney, and Bladder meridians.
Biomedical deep dive
Jie Gu Mu Elder (Elderberry and Elderflower)
From the Zoi Medicinals fact sheets’ Biomedical Details, with lines from Noa’s herb notes marked “Noa’s notes”.
On the fact sheet
- Jie Gu Mu (Elderberry, Sambucus nigra) enters the LU, KI and BL meridians; releases the Exterior, clears Heat, dries Damp, tonifies Lung, expels phlegm, and promotes lactation. Women’s Health | Ríza · Longevity | The Zoi · Allergy · Relief | Atsáli sheets
Key active constituents
- Elderberry flavonoids (plant pigments), named in a cited lab study on influenza (Roschek et al., Phytochemistry 2009)
Pharmacology and mechanisms
- Elderberry has been shown in many studies to have strong antimicrobial effects against many bacteria and viruses, with most research on influenza A and B.
- In animal studies, elderberry fruit extract sedated the nervous system, producing calming and pain-relieving effects.
- Anthocyanins (purple pigments) inhibit viral hemagglutinin (the protein flu uses to enter cells); reduced influenza duration in RCTs. Noa’s notes
- Immune-stimulating: increases cytokine production (IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6) in a dose-dependent way. Noa’s notes
- Antioxidant: its ORAC value (antioxidant score) is among the highest of common berries. Noa’s notes
What the research says
- A standardized elderberry liquid extract showed activity against respiratory bacteria and influenza A and B viruses in the lab (Krawitz et al., BMC Complement Altern Med 2011).
- Elderberry flavonoids bound to the H1N1 flu virus and blocked infection in vitro, meaning in the lab (Roschek et al., Phytochemistry 2009).
- In animal studies, elderberry had stronger effects on depression than imipramine, a tricyclic antidepressant (Mahmoudi et al., Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2014).
- A systematic review concluded elderberry fruit extract produced sedation and pain relief in animals (Vlachojannis et al., Phytother Res 2010).
Safety, interactions and cautions
- Many of our formulas are loved in pregnancy and used by midwives. As with anything you take while pregnant or breastfeeding, check with your practitioner.
- The Longevity | The Zoi fact sheet notes the formula suits most conventional medical therapies, but its use should be discussed with your doctor.
- Avoid raw elderberries (toxic). Noa’s notes
- Use caution with immunosuppressant medicines (immune-stimulating effect). Noa’s notes
- Use caution with loose stools and very cold or deficient presentations. Noa’s notes
- Elderflower: use caution with Exterior deficiency and spontaneous sweating. Noa’s notes
In these Zoi formulas
- Women’s Health | Ríza (#4 on the fact sheet)
- Longevity | The Zoi (#10 on the fact sheet)
- Allergy Relief | Atsáli (#6 on the fact sheet)
