Active Ingredient Bilberry (vaccinium Myrtillus)

a plant species of the family vaccinium.

Source:

medlineplus herbs and supplements: bilberry (vaccinium myrtillus)

Medical Condition	Uses based on scientific evidence	Grade*
atherosclerosis	bilberry has sometimes been used traditionally to treat heart disease and atherosclerosis. there is some laboratory research in this area, but there is a lack of clear information in humans.	c
background retinopathy unspecified	based on animal research and several small human studies, bilberry may be useful in the treatment of retinopathy in patients with diabetes or high blood pressure. however, this research is early, and it is still unclear if bilberry is beneficial for this condition.	c
cataract	bilberry extract has been used for a number of eye problems, including the prevention of cataract worsening. at this time, there is limited scientific information in this area.	c
chronic venous hypertension without complications	chronic venous insufficiency is a condition that is more commonly diagnosed in europe than in the united states, and it may include leg swelling, varicose veins, leg pain, itching, and skin ulcers. a standardized extract of bilberry called vaccinium myrtillius anthocyanoside (vma) is popular in europe for the treatment chronic venous insufficiency. however, there is only preliminary research in this area, and more studies are needed before a recommendation can be made.	c
congenital night blindness	traditional use and several unclear studies from the 1960s and 1970s suggest possible benefits of bilberry on night vision. however, more recent well-designed studies report no benefits. based on this evidence, it does not appear that bilberry is helpful for improving night vision.	d
diabetes mellitus	bilberry has been used traditionally in the treatment of diabetes, and animal research suggests that bilberry leaf extract can lower blood sugar levels. human research is needed in this area before a recommendation can be made.	c
diarrhea	bilberry is used traditionally to treat diarrhea, but there is a lack of reliable research in this area.	c
diffuse cystic mastopathy	there is limited research suggesting a possible benefit of bilberry in the treatment of fibrocystic disease of the breast. more study is needed before a strong recommendation can be made.	c
dysmenorrhea	preliminary evidence suggests that bilberry may be helpful for the relief of menstrual pain, although more research is necessary before a firm conclusion can be drawn.	c
gastric ulcer unspecified as acute or chronic without mention of hemorrhage or perforation	bilberry extract has been suggested as a treatment to help stomach ulcer healing. there is some support for this use from laboratory and animal studies, but there is a lack of reliable human evidence in this area.	c

*Key to grades
A: Strong scientific evidence for this use;
B: Good scientific evidence for this use;
C: Unclear scientific evidence for this use;
D: Fair scientific evidence against this use;
F: Strong scientific evidence against this use.