Bilberry

What are other names for this remedy?

Type of medicine: natural remedy

Scientific and common names: Myrtilli fructus, Vaccinium myrtillus, airelle, bilberry fruits, bilberry leaf, black whortles, bleaberry, burren myrtle, dwarf bilberry, dyeberry, huckleberry, trackleberry, wineberry, whortleberry, hurtleberry

What is bilberry?

Bilberry is a small shrub with sharp-edged, green branches and black, wrinkled berries. The berries contain many small seeds and have a sharp, sweet taste. The ripe berries and leaves are used to make medicines.

What is it used for?

Bilberry has been used for:

• angina
• arthritis
• cataracts
• chronic fatigue syndrome
• controlling blood sugar in diabetes
• dermatitis (rash)
• gout
• hemorrhoids
• improving vision and the ability of the eyes to adjust to changing light
• swelling in the mouth and throat
• lowering triglyceride levels
• stomach and intestinal problems such as diarrhea
• urinary tract and kidney problems
• varicose veins
• treating retina problems

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not approve uses for natural remedies. The FDA does not inspect or regulate natural remedies the way they do prescription medicines.

How is it taken?

Bilberry comes in the form of a liquid extract, capsules, and jam. Dried bilberry fruit is made into a tea to treat diarrhea and to relieve inflammation of the mouth and throat.

Follow the directions printed on the product label or given by your healthcare provider.

What if I overdose?

Symptoms of an acute overdose have not been reported.

What should I watch out for?

Females of childbearing age: If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, do not take large doses of bilberry without your healthcare provider's approval. You may eat the fruit in normal amounts.

Do not take large amounts of bilberry leaves for a long time. This can cause serious side effects.

Diabetics: Bilberry leaf may affect your blood sugar level and change the amount of insulin or other diabetes medicines you may need. Talk to your healthcare provider about this.

Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist about any natural remedy that you are using or thinking about using. If your provider does not tell you how to take it, follow the directions that come with the package. Do not take more or take it longer than recommended. Ask about anything you do not understand. Remember:

• Natural remedies are not always safe.
• You should not take them if you are pregnant or breast-feeding without your healthcare provider's approval. They should not be taken by infants, children, or older adults without your provider's approval.
• They affect your body and may interact with prescription medicines that you take.
• Natural remedies are not standardized and may be contaminated. They may have different strengths and effects.

What are the possible side effects?

Along with its desirable effects, this remedy may cause some unwanted side effects. Some side effects may be very serious. Some side effects may go away as your body adjusts to the remedy. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that continue or get worse.

Taking large amounts of bilberry leaves for a long time may cause severe weight loss, muscle spasms, and even death.

What products might interact with this remedy?

When you take this remedy with other medicines, it can change the way the remedy or the medicines work. Vitamins and certain foods may also interact. Using these products together might cause harmful side effects. Before taking this remedy, talk to your healthcare provider if you are taking:

• herbal remedies such as devil's claw, fenugreek, garlic, guar gum, horse chestnut, Panax and Siberian ginseng, and psyllium
• medicines for diabetes such as insulin, chlorpropamide (Diabinese), glyburide (DiaBeta), metformin (Glucophage), acarbose (Precose), acetohexamide (Dymelor), glimepiride (Amaryl), glipizide (Glucotrol), miglitol (Glyset), pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia), repaglinide (Prandin), tolazamide (Tolinase), and tolbutamide

Keep a list of all your medicines with you. List all the prescription medicines, nonprescription medicines, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins that you take. Be sure that you tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all the products you are taking.

____________________________________________________

Keep all natural remedies and medicines out of the reach of children.

This advisory includes select information only. The information was obtained from scientific journals, study reports, and other documents. The author and publisher make no warranty, expressed or implied, as to the information. The advisory may not include all side effects associated with a remedy or interactions with other medicines. Nothing herein shall constitute a recommendation for the use of any remedy. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information.

Developed by RelayHealth
Published by RelayHealth.
© 2009 RelayHealth and/or its affiliates. All Rights Reserved.