About Vaccinium arctostaphylos L.
Vaccinium arctostaphylos L., commonly known as Caucasian whortleberry, is a species of shrub that produces edible, blue-colored fruit. It is native to Western Asia (Iran and Turkey), the Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia), and Southeastern Europe (Bulgaria). Its chromosome count for cytology is 2n = 48.
One clinical study of 50 adult hyperlipidaemic patients found that an extract made from the fruit of Vaccinium arctostaphylos has beneficial effects on serum lipid profile and oxidative stress. Each medicinal capsule used in the study contained 45 ± 2 mg of anthocyanins. The study authors suggest that these beneficial effects may come from the anthocyanin content found in the plant's fruit.
