Blueberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.)

Bilberry is a branchy, small shrub representing the Cowberry family (Vacciniaceae). Other names: Chernets

Description:

A strongly branched shrub up to 50 cm in height with erect, cylindrical stems covered with gray bark at the base, and ribbed and green stems in the upper part, like branches. The leaves are alternate, light green, smooth, with a finely serrated edge, ovate, slightly pointed, falling in winter. Flowers pink, drooping, borne 1, rarely 2 at the base of young twigs; corolla pitcher or hemispherical with 5-toothed limb. Ovary inferior, five-celled. The fruit is a spherical, black, edible berry. Blueberries bloom in May – June, the berries ripen in July – August. Blueberries grow in green moss pine forests (blueberry pine forests), in long-moss pine forests (long-moss-blueberry pine forests), in suborya (long-moss-bilberry), in pine-birch forests .

Harvesting, description of raw materials:

In medicine, blueberries (Fructus Myrtilli) are used, which are harvested quite ripe, picking them by hand or combing them with special metal combs. In the later case, the berries always contain an admixture of leaves, which are removed by winnowing the fruits. Dry in ovens or in the sun until they no longer clump when squeezed; well-dried berries do not stain hands. Blueberry leaves (Folium Myrtilli) are also used, collected in July-August. The raw material consists of shapeless, strongly wrinkled, soaked spherical berries within 5 mm in diameter. At the top of the fruit there is a remnant of the calyx in the form of an annular rim surrounding a swollen disk, in the center of which is the remnant of a column or scar. The fruits are almost black, with a reddish tinge. In the red-purple pulp of the fruit are numerous small seeds. The smell is weak the taste is sweet and sour, slightly astringent. Decoctions of blueberries are purple-red in color, from the addition of acid, the color becomes more red, and from alkali, the decoction takes on an olive green color.

Contains active substances:

Blueberries contain up to 12% condensed tannins, anthocyanins, organic acids, sugar, pectin, vitamins C, B, carotene. The leaves contain glycosides neomyrtillin (up to 2%), myrtilin and arbutin (arbutin up to 1%), flavonoids, quinic and other acids.

Medicinal use:

It is used as a gentle astringent for diarrhea in the form of tea, jelly and compotes, especially in children’s practice. Leaf infusion due to the presence of neomyrtillin glycoside, which has the ability to maintain blood sugar, is used in diabetes. Long-term use is not recommended. In folk medicine, a decoction of blueberries is drunk for diarrhea, a decoction of herbs for diarrhea, stomach pain, uterine bleeding, leukemia, sugar disease.