BOTANICAL NAME: Vaccinium myrtillus

PARTS USED AND HABITAT: A close relative of American blueberry, bilberry grows in northern Europe, Canada, and the United States. The ripe berries are used, and the leaves may also contain beneficial compounds.

INDICATIONS AND USAGE:
(1) Primary uses: Night blindness
(2) Other uses: Atherosclerosis; Cataracts; Diarrhea; Varicose veins

HISTORICAL OR TRADITIONAL USE: (may or may not be supported by scientific studies): The dried berries and leaves of bilberry have been recommended for a wide variety of conditions, including scurvy, urinary tract infections, kidney stones, and diabetes. Perhaps the most sound historical application is the use of the dried berries to treat diarrhea. Modern research of bilberry was partly based on its use by British World War II pilots, who noticed that their night vision improved when they ate bilberry jam prior to night bombing raids.

ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY: Anthocyanosides speed the regeneration of rhodopsin, the purple pigment that is used by the rods in the eye for night vision. This makes bilberry a possible first line of defense for those with night blindness. Anthocyanosides, the flavonoid complex in bilberries, are potent antioxidants. They support normal formation of connective tissue and strengthen capillaries in the body. Anthocyanosides may also improve capillary and venous blood flow. Preliminary human studies conducted in Europe show that bilberry may prevent cataracts, and may even treat mild retinopathies (such as macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy). Bilberry may also prevent blood vessel thickening due to diabetes.
Bilberry protects cholesterol from oxidizing in test tubes. This may be part of how it helps people with atherosclerosis.

DOSAGE: Bilberry herbal extract in capsules or tablets standardized to provide 25% anthocyanosides can be taken in the amount of 240?600 mg per day. Traditional use is 1?2 ml two times per day in tincture form or 20?60 grams of the fruit daily.