Ericaceae V. myrtillus – blaeberry; bog bilberry; European blueberry; huckleberry; whortleberry; wineberry; V. angustifolium – lowbush blueberry; V. corymbosum – highbush blueberry Myrtilli fructus; Myrtilli folium The berries are used most frequently, but the leaves also have a traditional use. The main constituents of the berries are anthocyanoside flavonoids (anthocyanins) mainly glucosides of cyanidin, delphinidin, malvidin, petunidin and peonidin, with flavonoids including catechins, quercetin-3-glucuronide and hyperoside vitamin C, sugars and pectins (Anon. 2001; Pharmaceutical Press Editorial Team 2013; Williamson et al. 2013). Uncontrolled trials have shown a beneficial effect of the extract on patients suffering from retinal degeneration, myopia and glaucoma; but a systematic review of randomised placebo-controlled trials of bilberry fruit extracts on night vision showed no evidence to support its use (Canter and Ernst 2004). A randomised controlled trial assessing the effect of bilberry juice (330 ml daily for 4 weeks) on serum and plasma biomarkers of inflammation and antioxidant status, in subjects at increased risk of cardiovascular disease, found that the juice produced a significant decrease in plasma concentrations of C-reactive protein, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-15 and other cytokines, thus warranting further studies (Karlsen et al. 2010). A study of 48 men and women found that blueberries may improve selected features of metabolic syndrome and related cardiovascular risk factors at dietary achievable doses (Basu et al. 2010). Daily dietary supplementation with bioactives from whole blueberries improved insulin sensitivity in obese, non-diabetic, and insulin-resistant men and women in a small study of 32 participants (Stull et al. 2010).
Bilberry; Blueberry
Vaccinium myrtillus L.; V. angustifolium Aiton, V. corymbosum L.
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