Bilberry

Bilberry is a relative of the blueberry, and its fruit is commonly used to make pies and jams. Bilberry grows in North America, Europe, and northern Asia. The fruit of the bilberry plant can be eaten or made into extracts. Similarly, the leaves of the bilberry plant can be made into extracts or used to make teas. Bilberry has been used for nearly 1,000 years in traditional European medicine.

Bilberry Plant. Source: Wikimedia Commons

Other Names

Common Names

• European blueberry
• Whortleberry
• Huckleberry

Latin Names

• Vaccinium myrtillus

How Bilberry Works

Bilberry fruit and its extracts contain a number of biologically active components, including a class of compounds called anthocyanosides. These have been the focus of recent research in Europe.

Laboratory tests have shown anthocyanosides to be antioxidants. Antioxidants reduce damage to proteins and cells that is caused by free radicals. Anthocyanosides have been shown to stabilize collagen, which gives structure and flexibility to the skin. They have also been shown to reduce the leakiness of blood vesselsand to prevent aggregation of platelets. This last action suggests bilberry extracts may be useful for preventing blood clots.

Benefits

• Historically, bilberry fruit was used to treat diarrhea, scurvy, and other conditions.
• Today, the fruit is used to treat diarrhea, menstrual cramps, eye problems (poor night vision and eye strain), varicose veins, venous insufficiency (poor blood flow to the heart), and other circulatory problems.
• Bilberry leaves have been used for problems of the gastrointestinal tract, kidney and urinary tract, arthritis, gout, and dermatitis.

Recommended Daily Intake

Fresh berries 55 to 115 g three times daily or 80 to 480 mg of aqueous extract three times daily by mouth (standardized to 25% anthocyanosides) have been used traditionally.

Interactions

• Bilberry may exacerbate the blood pressure lowering effect of some herbs or supplements.
• Bilberry may increase the risk of bleeding when taken with herbs and supplements that inhibit blood clotting.
• Bilberry may also interact with anticancer agents, antioxidants, liver-damaging agents, and herbs or supplements with hormonal properties.

Side Effects

Consumption of bilberry leaves in large quantities or over a long period of time may cause anemia, yellowing of the skin, and muscle wasting. Consumption of the berries, especially in large quantities, can cause diarrhea.

Research

There is not enough scientific evidence to support the use of bilberry fruit or leaf for any health conditions. However, bilberry extracts are continually being investigated both in the laboratory and in clinical trials. One avenue of research involves the usefulness of concentrated bilberry extract for improving outcome in patients undergoing surgery for colorectal and liver cancers.^[1] To date, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine has not funded research on bilberry.

The usefulness of bilberry in improving night vision has been extensively studied in clinical trials. An analysis of many of these trials found that bilberry had no effect on night vision in the best-designed studies.^[2]

References

1. ↑ EurekAlert Web site. Bilberry extract -- can it help prevent certain cancers?
2. ↑ Canter PH, Ernst E. Anthocyanosides of Vaccinium myrtillus (bilberry) for night vision--a systematic review of placebo-controlled trials. Surv Ophthalmol. 2004 Jan-Feb;49(1):38-50. Abstract