BLUEBERRY

(also known as European blueberry, bilberry, myrtleberry, wimberry and whortleberry).

The blueberry is defined in botanical terms as Vaccinium myrtillus. It belongs to the Ericaceae family, to the genus Vaccinium and falls into the category of berries. Acclaimed since ancient times for its flavour and its use as a food in jams, sweets and drinks, it is also known for its exceptional antioxidant properties and for promoting an effective blood circulation, as well as for its regulating action on blood glucose. The anthocyanins in the small blue berries can inhibit the activity of certain enzymes that destroy collagen and the elastic tissues of the capillaries and vessels of the peripheral circulatory system, leading to their fragility and excessive permeability. For this reason, supplementation with pure blueberry extract is indicated to improve blood circulation. The berries contain many organic acids (malic, citric, etc.), sugars, tannins, pectin, vitamins A and C and, to a lesser extent, vitamin B and anthocyanic glucosides (myrtillin), which – in addition to giving the fruit its characteristic colour – reduce the permeability of the capillaries and strengthen the structure of the connective tissue that supports the blood vessels, improving their elasticity and tone. The ingredients contained in the phytocomplex give the blueberry its capillary-protective property, making it particularly suitable for the treatment of circulatory disorders, especially of venous origin, and in all cases of capillary fragility, especially in the retina. The protection of the microcirculation is at the basis of the use of blueberry in ophthalmology, where it is specifically applied to protect the retina, i.e, the nervous tissue responsible for vision, whose efficient vascularisation is the basis for the wellbeing of our eyes and visual acuity. These substances also favour and increase the speed of regenerating the retinal purpura (rhodopsin), which is the retinal pigment essential for vision in low light conditions, sharpening the eyesight especially in poorly-lit times, such as evening.

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