A new flu remedy based on research into the black elderberry is being heralded as one of the most effective cures against the flu virus. The black elderberry has been used as a natural remedy for common ailments such as coughs, colds and flu for hundreds of years but it is only recently that extensive research into the elderberry has been carried out. Subsequent research has also shown black elderberry extract to be effective against the Herpes simplex, HIV and Bird Flu virus.