About Bilberry Monograph

A bilberry monograph for the home

Latin Name: Vaccinium myrtillus

Common Names: bilberry, European blueberry, whortleberry, huckleberry

This bilberry monograph provides basic information about bilberry—common names, usefulness and safety, and resources for more information.

Source: https://nccih.nih.gov/

Basics Research Results Dosing Safety Wildcrafting References PubMed

Bilberry Basics

The bilberry bush is a relative of the blueberry and is native to many areas, including the Rocky Mountains and regions of Europe and Asia.
Its berries and leaves have been used for medicinal purposes since the Middle Ages for a variety of conditions, including diarrhea, scurvy, infections, burns, and diabetes. During World War II, British pilots ate bilberry jam, thinking it would improve their night vision.
Today, bilberry is used as a dietary supplement for cardiovascular conditions, diarrhea, urinary tract infections, eye problems, diabetes, and other conditions.
Bilberry extract is sold in tablets, capsules, and drops, and the berries are sold dried and as a powder. The leaves are made into teas.

Bilberry in health Research

We have very few high-quality clinical trials (studies in people) of bilberry supplements.

Bilberry Research Summary

There’s not enough scientific evidence to support the use of bilberry for any health conditions.
Researchers are interested in bilberry in large part because its berries have a high concentration of antioxidants called anthocyanins, which some studies suggest may have health benefits.

Bilberry Safety

Bilberry fruit is considered safe when consumed in amounts typically found in foods, or as an extract in recommended doses for brief periods of time.
Bilberry leaves may be unsafe when taken orally (by mouth) in high doses or for long periods of time.

Bilberry References

Barrett M. Bilberry. In: Coates PM, Betz JM, Blackman MR, et al., eds. Encyclopedia of Dietary Supplements. 2nd ed. New York, NY: Informa Healthcare; 2010:37-42.
Bilberry. Natural Medicines Web site. Accessed at naturalmedicines.therapeuticresearch.com on March 24, 2015.

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PubMed Articles About

Source: National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI)[Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US), National Center for Biotechnology Information; [1988] – [cited 2018 Apr 5]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/

Garima, S., Ajit Kumar, P., Marcy, DM., Sakthivel, R., Bhim Pratap, S., Nachimuthu Senthil, K., (2021) Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used in the management of cancer and diabetes.

To conduct an ethnobotanical survey and document the traditional anticancer and antidiabetic plants used by the local tribes of Mizoram, Northeast India.

Chen, Y., Qin, J., Tao, L., Liu, Z., Huang, J., Liu, W., Xu, Y., Tang, Q., Liu, Y., Chen, Z., Chen, S., Liang, S., Chen, C., Xie, J., Liu, J., Chen, L., Tao, J., (2023) Effects of Tai Chi Chuan on Cognitive Function in Adults 60 Years or Older With Type 2 Diabetes and Mild Cognitive Impairment in China: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is associated with the progression of cognitive dysfunction. Physical activity benefits cognition, but no evidence from randomized clinical trials has shown whether tai chi chuan has better long-term benefits than fitness walking in cognitive function for patients with T2D and mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

Borse, SP., Chhipa, AS., Sharma, V., Singh, DP., Nivsarkar, M., (2024) Management of Type 2 Diabetes: Current Strategies, Unfocussed Aspects, Challenges, and Alternatives.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) accounts for >90% of the cases of diabetes in adults. Resistance to insulin action is the major cause that leads to chronic hyperglycemia in diabetic patients. T2DM is the consequence of activation of multiple pathways and factors involved in insulin resistance and β-cell dysfunction. Also, the etiology of T2DM involves the complex interplay between genetics and environmental factors. This interplay can be governed efficiently by lifestyle modifications to achieve better management of diabetes. The present review aims at discussing the major factors involved in the development of T2DM that remain unfocussed during the anti-diabetic therapy. The review also focuses on lifestyle modifications that are warranted for the successful management of T2DM. In addition, it attempts to explain flaws in current strategies to combat diabetes. The employability of phytoconstituents as multitargeting molecules and their potential use as effective therapeutic adjuvants to first line hypoglycemic agents to prevent side effects caused by the synthetic drugs are also discussed.

Zhang, Z., Zhang, L., Xu, H., (2020) Effect of Astragalus polysaccharide in treatment of diabetes mellitus: a narrative review.

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic endocrine/metabolism disease characterized by hyperglycemia arising from defects in insulin action, insulin secretion, or both. Diabetes mellitus is often complicated by visceral lesions, which can lead to serious complications and death. A variety of new agents are in development for the treatment of the disease. Astragalus polysaccharides are monomer components extracted from the Traditional Chinese Medicine, Huangqi (Radix Astragali Mongolici), which have been studied widely for treating diabetes mellitus with promising effects in recent years. This paper reviews recent advances in experimental studies on the effects of Astragalus polysaccharides in treating diabetes mellitus. The effects of Astragalus polysaccharides on the etiology and complication of diabetes mellitus including insulin resistance and secretion, diabetic neuropathy, diabetic retinopathy, diabetic cardiomyopathy, diabetic foot, and infection complicated by diabetes mellitus are discussed.

Chen, YK., Liu, TT., Teia, FKF., Xie, MZ., (2023) Exploring the underlying mechanisms of obesity and diabetes and the potential of Traditional Chinese Medicine: an overview of the literature.

Obesity and diabetes are closely related metabolic disorders that have become major public health concerns worldwide. Over the past few decades, numerous studies have explored the underlying mechanisms of these disorders and identified various risk factors, including genetics, lifestyle, and dietary habits. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been increasingly recognized for its potential to manage obesity and diabetes. Weight loss is difficult to sustain, and several diabetic therapies, such as sulfonylureas, thiazolidinediones, and insulin, might make it harder to lose weight. While lifestyle changes should be the primary approach for people interested in lowering weight, drugs are also worth investigating. Since some of the newer glucose-lowering medications that cause weight loss, such as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) and sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i), are additionally utilized or are under consideration for use as anti-obesity drugs, the frontier between glucose-lowering medication and weight loss drugs appears to be shifting. This review provides an overview of the literature on the underlying mechanisms of obesity and diabetes and the prospect of TCM in their management. We discuss the various TCM interventions, including acupuncture, herbal medicine, and dietary therapy, and their effects on metabolic health. We also highlight the potential of TCM in regulating gut microbiota, reducing inflammation, and improving insulin sensitivity. The findings suggest that TCM may provide a promising approach to preventing and managing obesity and diabetes. However, further well-designed studies are needed to confirm the efficacy and safety of TCM interventions and to elucidate their underlying mechanisms of action.

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