Abstract
Bilberries are a rich dietary source of various phytonutrients, including anthocyanins which contribute greatly to their antioxidant capacity and have demonstrated a broad spectrum of biomedical functions. These include protection against cardiovascular disorders, age-induced oxidative stress, inflammatory responses and several degenerative diseases. Berry anthocyanins also improve neuronal and cognitive brain functions, ocular health as well as protecting genomic DNA integrity. In recent years, sales of many dietary supplements/pharmaceutical products containing anthocyanins in various dosages and formulations have been made by advertising their wide range of beneficial effects. However, there is a heightened risk of distributing deteriorated formulations to consumers due to lax regulations, in particular those applicable to phytochemical characterization and extract standardization, and in terms of quality regarding the stability of anthocyanins. Anthocyanin pigments readily degrade during industrial processing and this can have a dramatic impact on color quality and may also affect nutritional/pharmaceutical properties. This review aims to summarize the main health effects of bilberry extract used in several food supplements/pharmaceutical formulations focusing on some important aspects of anthocyanin degradation during processing and storage. It will also describe the main technological strategies which can give active ingredients greater stability, solubility and dispersibility in order to enhance formulation quality which is of great interest to the consumer and industry due to its direct and indirect impact on consumer health.
Keywords: Anthocyanins, bilberry, formulations, health effects, processing, stability, storage, technological strategies.
Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry
Title:Health Effects of Vaccinium myrtillus L.: Evaluation of Efficacy and Technological Strategies for Preservation of Active Ingredients
Volume: 14 Issue: 7
Author(s): Antonella Smeriglio, Domenico Monteleone and Domenico Trombetta
Affiliation:
Keywords: Anthocyanins, bilberry, formulations, health effects, processing, stability, storage, technological strategies.
Abstract: Bilberries are a rich dietary source of various phytonutrients, including anthocyanins which contribute greatly to their antioxidant capacity and have demonstrated a broad spectrum of biomedical functions. These include protection against cardiovascular disorders, age-induced oxidative stress, inflammatory responses and several degenerative diseases. Berry anthocyanins also improve neuronal and cognitive brain functions, ocular health as well as protecting genomic DNA integrity. In recent years, sales of many dietary supplements/pharmaceutical products containing anthocyanins in various dosages and formulations have been made by advertising their wide range of beneficial effects. However, there is a heightened risk of distributing deteriorated formulations to consumers due to lax regulations, in particular those applicable to phytochemical characterization and extract standardization, and in terms of quality regarding the stability of anthocyanins. Anthocyanin pigments readily degrade during industrial processing and this can have a dramatic impact on color quality and may also affect nutritional/pharmaceutical properties. This review aims to summarize the main health effects of bilberry extract used in several food supplements/pharmaceutical formulations focusing on some important aspects of anthocyanin degradation during processing and storage. It will also describe the main technological strategies which can give active ingredients greater stability, solubility and dispersibility in order to enhance formulation quality which is of great interest to the consumer and industry due to its direct and indirect impact on consumer health.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Smeriglio Antonella, Monteleone Domenico and Trombetta Domenico, Health Effects of Vaccinium myrtillus L.: Evaluation of Efficacy and Technological Strategies for Preservation of Active Ingredients, Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry 2014; 14 (7) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1389557514666140722083034
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1389557514666140722083034 |
Print ISSN 1389-5575 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1875-5607 |
Call for Papers in Thematic Issues
Bioprospecting of Natural Products as Sources of New Multitarget Therapies
According to the Convention on Biological Diversity, bioprospecting is the exploration of biodiversity and indigenous knowledge to develop commercially valuable products for pharmaceutical and other applications. Bioprospecting involves searching for useful organic compounds in plants, fungi, marine organisms, and microorganisms. Natural products traditionally constituted the primary source of more than ...read more
Computational Frontiers in Medicinal Chemistry
The thematic issue "Computational Frontiers in Medicinal Chemistry" provides a robust platform for delving into state-of-the-art computational methodologies and technologies that significantly propel advancements in medicinal chemistry. This edition seeks to amalgamate top-tier reviews spotlighting the latest trends and breakthroughs in the fusion of computational approaches, including artificial intelligence (AI) ...read more
Drugs and Mitochondria
Mitochondria play a central role in the life and death of cells. They are not merely the center for energy metabolism but are also the headquarters for different catabolic and anabolic processes, calcium fluxes, and various signaling pathways. Mitochondria maintain homeostasis in the cell by interacting with reactive oxygen-nitrogen species ...read more
Mitochondria as a Therapeutic Target in Metabolic Disorders
Mitochondria are the primary site of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production in mammalian cells. Moreover, these organelles are an important source of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species in virtually any nucleated cell type. The modulation of a myriad of cellular signaling pathways depends on the mitochondrial physiology. Mitochondrial dysfunction is observed ...read more

- Author Guidelines
- Bentham Author Support Services (BASS)
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
Related Articles
-
Advances in Long-Circulating Drug Delivery Strategy
Current Drug Metabolism Autophagy Enhancer Carbamazepine Alleviates Memory Deficits and Cerebral Amyloid-β Pathology in a Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease
Current Alzheimer Research Natural Compounds Promoting Weight Loss: Mechanistic Insights from the Point of View of the Medicinal Chemist
The Natural Products Journal Emerging Therapeutic Targets for Metabolic Syndrome: Lessons from Animal Models
Endocrine, Metabolic & Immune Disorders - Drug Targets CD36 as a Multiple-Ligand Signaling Receptor in Atherothrombosis
Cardiovascular & Hematological Agents in Medicinal Chemistry Antioxidative Peptides: Trends and Perspectives for Future Research
Current Medicinal Chemistry Design, Structure Activity Relationships and X-Ray Co-Crystallography of Non-Steroidal LXR Agonists
Current Medicinal Chemistry Steroids and the Immune Response in Graves Orbitopathy
Immunology, Endocrine & Metabolic Agents in Medicinal Chemistry (Discontinued) Targeting NPY, CRF/UCNs and NPS Neuropeptide Systems to Treat Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)
Current Medicinal Chemistry Adenovirus Vectors Composed of Subgroup B Adenoviruses
Current Gene Therapy Association between ABCC8 Ala1369Ser Polymorphism (rs757110 T/G) and Type 2 Diabetes Risk in an Iranian Population: A Case-Control Study
Endocrine, Metabolic & Immune Disorders - Drug Targets Selective Removal of Macrophages in Atherosclerotic Plaques as a Pharmacological Approach for Plaque Stabilization: Benefits Vs. Potential Complications
Current Vascular Pharmacology Oxidative Stress and Nitric Oxide in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Other Neuropsychiatric Disorders
CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets Analysis of the Essential Oils of Five Artemisia Species and Evaluation of their Cytotoxic and Proapoptotic Effects
Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry FoxO Transcription Factors and Regenerative Pathways in Diabetes Mellitus
Current Neurovascular Research Current Therapy in Sarcoidosis, the Role of Existing Drugs and Future Medicine
Inflammation & Allergy - Drug Targets (Discontinued) Targeting Prostate Cancer Stem Cells
Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry Chemotherapeutic Strategies Against Trypanosoma brucei: Drug Targets vs. Drug Targeting
Current Pharmaceutical Design Molecular Mechanisms of Anti-cancer Activities of β-elemene: Targeting Hallmarks of Cancer
Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry Melatonin Regulates Angiogenic Factors under Hypoxia in Breast Cancer Cell Lines
Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry