Bilberry traditionally is used to treat diarrhea and mucous membrane inflammation in the mouth and throat, and to improve the eyes' adjustment between light and dark, according to Drugs.com. This blueberry variety has flavonoids, tannins and anthocyanins, which strengthen your capillaries and thin your blood. But you need to consult a doctor before taking bilberry with certain medications or supplements.
Anticoagulants
Taking bilberry with blood-thinning medications, also known as anticoagulants, can increase your risk for bleeding or bruising, according to "The Essential Herb-Drug-Vitamin Interaction Guide" by George T. Grossberg and Barry Fox. These include aspirin, warfarin, enoxaparin, heparin and tirofiban. The anthocyanosides in bilberry may stop your blood from clotting, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Diabetes Medication
If you take bilberry with diabetes medication, it can make the effects of the medicine stronger, warns UMMC. Grossberg and Fox say that raises the risk of hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar. Such medicines include acarbose, chlorpropamide, glipizide, insulin, rosiglitazone and tolbutamide. Bilberry also can increase the effects of other herbs that lower blood sugar, including garlic, ginger, fenugreek and ginseng.
Iron Deficiency Drugs
Using bilberry with drugs meant to treat iron deficiency can interfere with your body's absorption of such drugs, according to Grossberg and Fox. These include ferric gluconate, ferrous fumarate, ferrous gluconate, ferrous sulfate, iron-dextran complex and polysaccharide-iron complex.
Herbs With Alkaloids
If you take bilberry with certain herbs, it may cause the alkaloids to separate and increase your risk for a toxic reaction, Grossberg and Fox say. Herbs that are high in alkaloids include coffee, colchicum, ma-huang, goldenseal, schisandra, mandrake and Scotch broom.
References
- "The Essential Herb-Drug-Vitamin Interaction Guide"; George T. Grossberg and Barry Fox; 2007
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Bilberry
- Drugs.com: Bilberry
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