Letters from Readers
Question: A recent article on Vaccinium myrtillus (bilberry) (Alternative Medicine Alert, February 1999, pp. 20-21) states that "chronic ingestion or higher doses of bilberry leaf in animals has resulted in cachexia, anemia, icterus, excitation, and death." Vaccinium myrtillus is listed as benign in other sources, with no apparent side effects in animals administered up to 400 mg/kg; please provide a reference for these reported adverse effects. Vaccinium myrtillus is promoted for small vessel integrity through its collagen stabilizing actions; therefore, it may be useful in progression of ARMD, where we have no really effective conventional treatments.
Kasra Pournadeali, ND
Founder & Medical Director
Stevens Naturopathic Medical Center
Edmonds, Washington
Response: Thank you for your interest in the article on bilberry. The source for the Adverse Effects statement is page 311 in The Complete German Commission E Monographs, published by the American Botanical Council. Theoretically, bilberry extract may help macular degeneration, but I feel there is no published clinical evidence to support this claim. Although it is true that the more common form of macular degeneration has no therapy, the minority of patients with the exudative (wet) form do benefit from laser ablation of neovascular membranes. Consequently, I recommend close ophthalmologic follow-up for patients with chronic visual loss.
Ernie-Paul Barrette, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine
University of Washington Medical Center
Seattle, Washington
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