
Elderberry Extract and Flu Recovery
Hard
Can elderberry extract help you recover from the flu faster than vitamin C? Sambucus (elderberry) extract is marketed as a flu remedy. This project puts that claim to the test.
You divide 30 flu patients into three groups. One group takes a daily vitamin C tablet. Another takes 15 ml of Sambucus extract. The third takes a placebo. You track flu symptoms in all participants for 14 days.
Comparing recovery times across the three groups shows whether Sambucus outperforms vitamin C and the placebo.
Hypothesis
The hypothesis is that among the participants, those who take the Sambucus extract will recover the fastest from the flu.
Method & Materials
You will need to select 30 participants who have the common cold, divide them into 3 groups, and give them different treatments. You will then observe them for their cold symptoms for the next 14 days.
You will need a treadmill, a stopwatch, 140 200mg tablets of vitamin C, 2100ml of Nature's Way Sambucus extract, and 1400 placebo tablets.
Eureka Crate — engineering & invention kits for ages 12+ — monthly projects that build real-world skills. (Affiliate link)
See what’s includedResults
The results showed that the Sambucus extracts were the most effective in curing the flu, with all 10 participants recovering within 5 days. Those who took the vitamin C supplements recovered slightly sooner than those who took the placebo tablets.
Why do this project?
This science project is interesting because it explores the effectiveness of a natural remedy, Sambucus Extract, in curing the flu.
Also Consider
Consider experimenting with participants who do not have the flu, or compare two groups of participants - those who eat fruits and vegetables everyday and those that do not.
Full project details
Additional information and source material for this project are available below.Related videos
These videos explain the science behind this project and demonstrate key concepts used in the experiment.
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