Bilberry (2010) and Uveitis

Learn more about uveitis

Researchers have found that mice with uveitis who were treated with bilberry extract had increased antioxidant levels in blood and improvements in blood levels of vitamin C and antioxidant enzymes such as glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase (SOD). This uveitis in mice was induced by toxins, and represented a useful animal model of human eye inflammation.

The bilberry extract, given orally, reduced elevated nitric oxide and malonidaldehyde levels (both toxins in the blood), and increased the ability of the blood to absorb oxygen as well as increasing glutathione, vitamin C, and SOD levels in the blood, as well as other beneficial changes in blood chemistry.

Researchers: N. Yao, F. Lan, R.-R. He, H. Kurihara; Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Natural Products, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.

Published: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, March 2010. Protective Effects of Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) Extract against Endotoxin-Induced Uveitis in Mice.