Vaccinium myrtillus extract health benefit for eye health, vision improvement

Vaccinium myrtillus, also known as bilberry, is a small shrub found on heaths where it grows to about 60 centimeters tall. Many vision formulas contain bilberry, including the popular Eyesight Rx, a natural vision enhancing formula that works to improve near and distant vision. Bilberry herb has more than a dozen anthocyanosides that promote vision health. See bilberry extract for more information. This herb can be taken together with a marigold extract called lutein which helps with visual acuity.

ACE inhibitor effect
Effect of Vaccinium myrtillus and its polyphenols on angiotensin-converting enzyme activity in human endothelial cells.
J Agric Food Chem. 2009 Jun 10; Persson IA, Persson K, Andersson RG. Department of Medical and Health, Division of Drug Research/Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linkoping University, Linkoping, Sweden.
This study investigates if the connection between Vaccinium myrtillus and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) might be an explanation of the pharmacological effects on circulation. Cultured endothelial cells from human umbilical veins were incubated with bilberry 25E extract. The main anthocyanidins combined in myrtillin chloride and separately in cyanidin, delphinidin, and malvidin, respectively, were examined concerning their effects on ACE. After 10 min of incubation with bilberry 25E, a significant, dose-dependent inhibition of ACE activity was seen, and after incubation with myrtillin chloride a significant inhibition was seen. No effect was seen with the anthocyanidins. The effect seems to be dependent on this specific mixture of anthocyanins in the bilberry. V. myrtillus may thus have the potential to prevent and protect against cardiovascular diseases.

Vaccinium myrtillus Reduces Angiogenesis
Vaccinium myrtillus (Bilberry) Extracts Reduce Angiogenesis In Vitro and In Vivo.
Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2007 Oct 27. Matsunaga N, Chikaraishi Y, Shimazawa M, Yokota S, Hara H. Department of Biofunctional Evaluation, Molecular Pharmacology, Gifu Pharmaceutical University, 5-6-1 Mitahora-higashi, Gifu 502-8585. Japan. Vaccinium myrtillus (Bilberry) extracts were tested for effects on angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo. Our findings indicate that Vaccinium myrtillus may be effective against retinal diseases involving angiogenesis, providing it can reach the retina after its administration. Further investigations will be needed to clarify the major angiogenesis-modulating constituent(s) of Vaccinium myrtillus.

Vaccinium myrtillus has potent antioxidant activity
Protective effects of bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) extract on restraint stress-induced liver damage in mice.
J Agric Food Chem. 2008 Sep 10; College of Traditional Chinese Materia Medica, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang 110016, China.
Our experiments showed that 18 h restraint stress could induce serious liver damage, with an increase in plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level. Meanwhile, we observed increased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and lowered oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) values in plasma and liver of restraint mice compared with starved mice. Vaccinium myrtillus extract (containing 42% anthocyanins) was oral administrated to mice for five days, which remarkably decreased plasma ALT level. In addition, Vaccinium myrtillus extract increased glutathione (GSH) and vitamin C levels and significantly decreased MDA and nitric oxide (NO) levels in the liver tissues. These results suggest that Vaccinium myrtillus extract plays an important role in protecting against restraint stress-induced liver damage by both scavenging free radicals activity and lipid peroxidation inhibitory effect.