Bilberry

( Western Herb )

LATIN NAME:

Vaccinium myrtillus

Bilberry is also known as Huckleberry, Whortleberry, Blueberry, and Wineberry.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION AND INFORMATION:

Bilberry is a deciduous shrub that grows to around 1 ½ feet tall. It is a wild shrub that grows in Europe and North America.

As a matter of fact, these shrubs grow in West Virginia where I grew up, but I just thought they were wild blueberries.

We make jam and pie out of the berries. It has reddish-pink or red and white flowers that appear in late spring, followed by blue-black berries. The plants have dark green leave that turn yellow then red in the Fall.

The leaves and berries have been used medicinally since the late 1600’s. Some herbalists prescribe the plant's leaves to lower blood sugar in diabetics. British pilots in World War II would eat bilberry jam before flying their night missions to enhance their night vision.

Its healing effects comes from chemicals known as anthocyanosides in the berries. Some European herbalist claim that this chemical may protect the arteries by reducing deposits that lead to heart attacks, strokes, and high blood pressure.

POTENTIAL BENEFITS:

* improves vision

* stabilizes blood sugar levels

* acts as an effective cystitis remedy

TARGET AILMENT:

Take internally for:

* eye strain, cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration

* night blindness, nearsightedness

* scurvy

* diarrhea

* dysentery

* menstrual cramps

* kidney and bladder problems

* indigestion and colitis

* mouthwash or gargle

* help prevent blood clots

Apply externally for:

* spider veins, varicose veins

* hemorrhoids

* skin problems, sores, wounds, ulcers, burns

PREPARATIONS AND DOSAGE:

Over the counter: Bilberry is available in health food stores as tinctures, fluid-extract, dried leaves, and berries.

At home: The fruit of the plant can be eaten or made into extracts and the leaves can be made into extracts or used to make teas.

Eat fresh or dried bilberries alone or mixed with apple powder to treat diarrhea.

Tea: Boil 2 to 3 teaspoonful of leaves in 1 cup of water. Drink one cup per day for vomiting and stomach cramps.

Use this tea externally as a wash for skin problems and burns.

Decoction: Use 1 cup of water with 1 teaspoon of dried berries and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Drink 1 to 2 cups of this a day, cold.

Tincture: Take 20 drops twice daily.

Standardized extract: 120 to 240 mg twice daily

Parts used: Berries and leaves

Collection: Berries are gathered in late spring and fall when they are blue-black. Green leaves are gathered for use.

Constituents: Tannins

Actions: Antiseptic, anti-inflammatory,

SIDE EFFECTS:

Not Serious: The use of fresh bilberries can cause diarrhea in some individuals.

SPECIAL INFORMATION:

Warning:

* If the leaves are consumed over a long period of time, they can be poisonous.

* The leaves are also known to lower blood sugar levels, so insulin-dependent diabetics should not take this herb without consulting a physician.