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Botanical illustration of Wild Cherry
MedicinalSourced entry

Wild Cherry

Prunus serotina

Black cherry (capulín), a North American tree whose bark was a Native American remedy for breathing infections and is now used in cough syrups. Its seeds and leaves contain compounds that can release cyanide.

Safety at a glance

Tap a box to read the safety notes below. “Nothing recorded” means our sources don't cover it, not that it's safe.

Wild Cherry may interact with some medicines. If you take any medicine, read Interactions with medicines below and talk to your doctor or pharmacist before using it.

What is Wild Cherry?

Plant family
Rosaceae, the rose family
Parts used
The bark, leaves and seeds
Where it grows
Native to North America; introduced into Europe, where it has become invasive
Genus
Prunus
Species
serotina

Also called

Black Cherry, Wild Black Cherry

Regional names

Capulín, Capulin

Traditionally used for

  • Cough (traditional)
  • Colds (traditional)
  • Digestion (traditional)
  • Cough syrups

Traditionally described as

  • Traditionally used for cough

Health topics

Where Wild Cherry appears in symptom search, and why. Being listed doesn't mean it's a proven treatment.

  • Cough

    Traditionally used for cough by Native Americans and in Mexico, and now an ingredient in cough syrups. It hasn't been properly tested in people, and its seeds and leaves can release cyanide.

How it's prepared

Common ways Wild Cherry is prepared or sold. This isn't advice on how to take it; see Safety below.

Safety

Interactions with medicines

  • Wild cherry may change how the liver breaks down some medicines. Use caution if you take medicines processed by the liver, such as lovastatin (for cholesterol), fexofenadine (for allergies) or triazolam (for sleep).[3]General reference

Who should avoid it

  • Wild cherry isn't recommended for:

    • Young children
    • Pregnant or breastfeeding women
    • People with severe liver or kidney disease
    [3]General reference

Toxicity testing

  • Wild cherry leaves contain amygdalin and prunasin, natural compounds that can release cyanide, a poison.[4]Study

  • The seeds of ripening black cherries build up amygdalin and release hydrogen cyanide when they are crushed or chewed. The ripe fruit flesh doesn't release cyanide.[5]Study

How much to use

  • Wild cherry is generally regarded as safe at recommended doses, but it contains small amounts of cyanide, so don't take more than recommended. Take syrups that contain it as directed on the label.[3]General reference

What does the research say?

Traditional use

These are traditional uses, not proven treatments.

  • In Mexican traditional medicine, black cherry (capulín) is used for heart, breathing and digestive problems. Its seeds, eaten as snacks in Mexico, are used for cough.[1]Study

  • Capulín is sold and used in folk medicine for high blood pressure, digestive illnesses and cough, most often as an infusion (tea) of the leaves.[2]Study

  • Wild cherry bark was a traditional Native American remedy for breathing infections and anxiety, and European settlers adopted it for the same purposes. Today it's mainly used as an ingredient in cough syrups. Herbal references also list it for:

    • Whooping cough, bronchitis and colds
    • Digestive problems and diarrhea
    • Gout
    • Relaxation and sleep, as a mild calming aid
    [3]General reference

Research in people

  • No double-blind, placebo-controlled trials have tested wild cherry in people. That doesn't mean it doesn't work, only that it needs more study.[3]General reference

In short

Contains small amounts of cyanide; not recommended for young children, during pregnancy or breastfeeding, or with severe liver or kidney disease.

Sources

  1. [1] Nutritional value and volatile compounds of black cherry (Prunus serotina) seeds — Molecules · DOI: 10.3390/molecules20023479Peer-reviewed study
  2. [2] Simultaneous quantification by HPLC of the phenolic compounds for the crude drug of Prunus serotina subsp. capuli — Pharmaceutical Biology · DOI: 10.3109/13880209.2013.876054Peer-reviewed study
  3. [3] Wild cherry's therapeutic uses — EBSCO Research StartersGeneral reference
  4. [4] Quantitative analysis of amygdalin and prunasin in Prunus serotina Ehrh. using 1H-NMR spectroscopy — Phytochemical Analysis · DOI: 10.1002/pca.2476Peer-reviewed study
  5. [5] Development of the Potential for Cyanogenesis in Maturing Black Cherry (Prunus serotina Ehrh.) Fruits — Plant Physiology · DOI: 10.1104/pp.98.4.1423Peer-reviewed study

This information is educational and traditional in nature, and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Unfamiliar word? See what these words mean.