@article {670, title = {Difficulty for Consumers in Choosing Commercial Bilberry Supplements by Relying only on Product Label Information}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Research}, volume = {5}, year = {2013}, month = {May 2013}, pages = {212-215}, type = {Original Article }, chapter = {212}, abstract = {

Background:\ Various kinds of bilberry supplements have recently become available on the market. However, it is doubtful whether consumers receive accurate information to be able to compare different supplements.\ Objective:\ We aimed to investigate whether consumers can obtain the expected benefits by relying only on the information printed on the product labels of commercial bilberry supplements.\ Materials and Methods:\ The quality of 20 supplements was investigated by the spectrophotometric method and ultra high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC). Each peak was identified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and quantified using an external standard. The percentage of the actual measured value relative to the indicated value on the product label was determined using the spectrophotometric method. The daily dosage was calculated from the total amount of anthocyanins quantified by UHPLC and information on the product label.\ Results:\ In 14 of 20 supplements, the total anthocyanin content expressed as delphinidin equivalents was within 20\% of the labeled value. However, the extent of degradation could not be determined by the spectrophotometric method. In fresh bilberry fruit, anthocyanidins were barely detected. In 8 of 20 supplements, the anthocyanidin content was \>1.0\%. The daily dosage of anthocyanins varied by about 66-fold among supplements, and the dosage of 6 supplements was less than the recommended level in Japan.\ Conclusions:\ Consumers cannot always obtain the expected benefits by relying only on product label information. Therefore, new rules concerning product label information are required to make it possible for consumers to take the equivalent amounts of anthocyanins for whichever bilberry supplement they choose.

}, keywords = {Anthocyanidins, Bilberry Anthocyanins, Consumer, Product Label Information, Quality}, doi = {10.4103/0974-8490.112432 }, author = {Masao Yamamoto and Katsunori Yamaura and Makiko Ishiwatari and Koichi Ueno} } @article {915, title = {Anthocyanins from bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) alleviate pruritus in a mouse model of chronic allergic contact dermatitis}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Research}, volume = {3}, year = {2011}, month = {September 2011}, pages = {173-177}, type = {Original Article}, chapter = {173}, abstract = {

Background: Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) is one of the richest sources of anthocyanins which are known to have anticancer, wound healing and anti-allergic effects. Here, we examined whether bilberry extract (Bilberon-25) alleviates pruritus in a mouse model of chronic allergic contact dermatitis. Materials and Methods: BALB/c mice with chronic allergic contact dermatitis induced by 3 weeks of repeated application of 2,4,6-trinitro-1-chlorobenzene (TNCB) were administered Bilberon-25 orally for 3 weeks after sensitization with TNCB. The effects of Bilberon-25 on pruritus and inflammation were evaluated by measurement of scratching behaviour and ear swelling, respectively. Results: Treatment with Bilberon-25 significantly attenuated the TNCB-induced increase in scratching behaviour, but dexamethasone did not. In contrast, ear swelling was ameliorated by dexamethasone treatment, and significantly decreased by Bilberon-25. Repeated application of TNCB induced a shift in the cutaneous cytokine milieu from a T helper cell type (Th)1 to a Th2 profile; Bilberon-25 and dexamethasone alleviated this Th2 predominance of the lesional skin. Conclusion: Anthocyanins from bilberry might be beneficial for the treatment of chronic pruritus which can occur in patients with inflammatory skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis.

}, keywords = {Bilberon-25, Bilberry Anthocyanins, ear swelling, Interleukin-4 messenger Ribonucleic acid, pruritis}, doi = {10.4103/0974-8490.85002}, author = {Katsunori Yamaura and Maki Shimada and Koichi Ueno} }