Blueberry

Vaccinium myrtillus, regionally called blueberry, is a plant of the blueberry genus (Vaccinium) within the heather family (Ericaceae).

Phytotherapeutically, the ripe fruits are used dried (Myrtilli fructus siccus, Vaccinium myrtillus, fructus siccus) or fresh ( Myrtilli fructus recens), as well as the dried leaves (blueberry leaves - Myrtilli folium).

The astringent, epithelium regenerating, antiphlogistic, antiseptic, antiemetic and antioxidant and at the same time capillary stabilizing effect defines the indication of bilberries.

Bilberries are traditionally used for symptomatic treatment of diarrhea, vomiting, leg heaviness and varicosis, as well as hemorrhoids.

Externally for mucosal inflammation and moist skin lesions.

Caution: In case of diarrhea use only dried fruits!

The deciduous shrub has growth heights of 10 to 60 cm and reaches an age of up to 30 years.

The leaves of the plant are 2 to 3 cm long, oval and grass-green. The flowers are in the leaf axils, their crown is 3.5 to 5 mm long, spherical and greenish to reddish in colour. Their flowering period begins in April to May. In the months from July to September, the plants bear black-blue single fruits, which, when ripe, have a blue-grey or deep blue colouring. From late summer, the autumn colouring of the shrub begins - the leaves turn deep red.

The cultivated blueberries available on the market are not derived from the blueberry native to Europe, but from the American blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) and other North American species. The leaves contain up to 1.5% arbutin and hydroquinone and are therefore slightly toxic

Vaccinium myrtillus is the parent plant of Myrtilli fructus

Catechin compounds: proacanthocyanides, ellitannins and anthocyanins, flavonoids, flavone glycosides, caffeoylquinic acids, fruit acids, vitamin C

1. Gaspar DP et al (2021) Food supplements based on bilberry- what is the quality situation? Z Phytother 42: 69-116
2. Wenigmann M (2017) Phytotherapy, medicinal drugs phytopharmaceuticals application. Urban & Fischer: 121-122
3. https://arzneipflanzenlexikon.info/heidelbeere.php