Medicinal Uses of Russian Olive, Elaeagnus angustifolia

None of my dozen or so herbal medicine references gives even passing mention to Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia), which is also known as wild olive, oleaster, and silverberry.  Perhaps this is because it is a landscaping plant in this country.  One field guide mentioned it by the name of silverberry and noted that even Native Americans considered it a famine food.  The fruit, or berry, from the Russian olive does indeed look like a small olive.  It is eaten fresh, dried, or boiled.
The Russian olive is not a true olive tree.  It is considered an invasive species in many parts of the US.   It's classified as a noxious weed in Colorado, Connecticut, and New Mexico, and its growth is highly discouraged in California, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and Nebraska. It's planted predominantly in arid climates of the western US because it is drought-tolerant and grows quickly even in poor soils to form a good windbreak and prevent erosion.

The Russian olive has a long history of usage in herbal medicine in the Middle East.  Unfortunately, precious little has been recorded detailing exactly how the medicine is prepared and used.  Still, it is used to treat so many conditions, and the tree is so common in the western US that I thought it worth mentioning.  If you have any of the conditions that Russian olive is used for treating, you may wish to research the topic further.  I have listed references at the end of this post.

Infusions (water extracts) of Russian olive are effective in treating infections due to Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Candida albicans, Shigella dysenteriae, and cholera.

An infusion of the leaves is also especially indicated in treating pain, particularly due to rheumatoid arthritis.  Osteoarthritis is better managed with an infusion of the fruit and seeds.  This is even more effective when combined with a ginger extract.  Historically, the raw or boiled fruit has been used for treating sore throat, cough, flu, fever, nausea, vomiting, jaundice, asthma, and diarrhea. A poultice is made with the infusion and applied to external wounds to speed healing.


Tinctures (alcohol extracts) are effective in treating infections due to Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhimurium, Pseudomonas, Aspergillus, Candida albicans, Shigella dysenteriae, and cholera.

Decoctions of the Russian olive bark and fruit are used in treating kidney stones and gallbladder issues.

Studies showed that for treating ulcers, Russian olive is more effective than misoprostol, but less effective than omeprazole for treating aspirin-, NSAID-, and alcohol-induced ulcers.

The flowers and seeds have an effect similar to diazepam, making it ideal for treating the muscle spasms of tetanus. 

I really wish there was more exact and detailed information on the medicinal uses of Russian olive.  If you come across anything, please post links in the comments below.

Links to related posts:
How to Make a Tincture
Tetanus
Omeprazole
Kidney Stones
E. coli food poisoning
Ulcers  

References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5108988/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378874103001740?via%3Dihub
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2225411015000942
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378874102003318
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2225411015000942#bib26
https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Elaeagnus+angustifolia
https://theherbhound.blogspot.com/2018/07/russian-olive.html
http://naturalmedicinalherbs.net/herbs/e/elaeagnus-angustifolia=oleaster.php
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28053884/
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jphp.12442
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27593387/