Evidence supporting the use of: Black currant
For the health condition: Contagious Diseases

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Synopsis

Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 2

Black currant (Ribes nigrum) has a long history of use in traditional European and Asian medicine, including as a remedy for various infectious or contagious diseases. In folk medicine, black currant berries, leaves, and seed oil were often used to "strengthen the immune system," alleviate symptoms of colds and flu, and support recovery from illnesses thought to be contagious. The traditional rationale for its use largely stems from its rich content of vitamin C, anthocyanins, and other antioxidants, which were believed to help the body ward off infections. While black currant does contain bioactive compounds that have demonstrated mild antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects in laboratory studies, there is limited direct scientific evidence to support its use for preventing or treating contagious diseases in humans. Some in vitro and animal studies suggest black currant extracts may inhibit certain viruses (such as influenza) and bacteria, but clinical trials in humans are lacking or inconclusive. Therefore, its use for contagious diseases is primarily justified by tradition, with only weak scientific evidence (hence a rating of 2) supporting these claims. More rigorous human studies are needed to determine its true efficacy for this purpose.

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