Bilberry
Botanical Name:
Vaccinium
myrtillus
Common Name:
Whortleberry,
Huckleberry,
Blueberry,
Hurtleberry
Parts Used:
Leaf
and berries
System Effected:
Liver
Properties:
Astringent,
diuretic,
refrigerant
Used For:
Strengthening
vision, macular
degeneration,
cataracts,
glaucoma,
diabetic
retinopathy,
adult-onset
diabetes. The
leaves can be
used in the same
way as those of
UvaUrsi. The
fruits are
astringent, and
are especially
valuable in
diarrhoea and
dysentery, in
the form of
syrup. The
ancients used
them largely,
and Dioscorides
spoke highly of
them. They are
also used for
discharges, and
as
antigalactagogues.
A decoction of
the leaves or
bark of the root
may be used as a
local
application to
ulcers, and in
ulceration of
the mouth and
throat.