The blueberry is native to North America. Range in size and color and are often sweet tangy or tart. The color of blueberries, from deep blue to purple, is caused by a group of  flavonoids known as anthocyanins, which have important antioxidant power. Blueberries contain high amounts of polyphenols than many other fruits. The antioxidants like vitamin A, vitamin B complex, vitamin C, vitamin E, anthocyanin, selenium, iron, and zinc contain in blueberries help boost the body’s immune system so enable the body to fight against bacterial and viral infections.

Blueberries Fruit Medicinal Benefits

Blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum) are among the edible fruits that are recognized best for their possible medical benefits.Various researches has shown that diets rich in phenolic compounds may be associated with lower risks of several chronic diseases including cancer. Laboratory experiments suggest that anthocyanins may help to prevent degenerative diseases, including heart disease, cancer, stroke and memory loss.

Antioxidant

Compounds in blueberries called polyphenols, specifically the anthocyanins that give the fruit its blue hue, are the major contributors to antioxidant effect. The ORAC value of 100 gram fresh blueberries is 5562 TE.  Several research demonstrates that blueberry consumption boosts serum antioxidant status in humans. Elevated antioxidant amounts in the body may protect against damage to cells and cellular components, thus helping to reduce the risk of many chronic degenerative diseases.

Heart Health

Cardiovascular disease is caused by disorders of the heart and blood vessels, and includes coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, raised blood pressure, peripheral artery disease, congenital heart disease and heart failure. Epidemiological studies suggest that increased consumption of anthocyanins lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease, the most common cause of mortality among human. Phytochemicals are compounds found in various herbs, and show that eating fruits like blueberries that are rich in phytochemicals may help to lessen a buildup of plaque along the blood-vessel walls. Hardening of the arteries (Atherosclerosis ) is a leading cause of heart disease. According to a study, which was reported in 2004 in the Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, anthocyanins preserve cardiovascular system from oxidative stress and prevent the degradation of fat into harmful compounds in your blood. Research at the “University of Maine” showed that animals fed blueberry had improved blood pressure and reduced accumulation of fat in their arteries.

Hypertension

High blood pressure enhances risk of heart disease. Almost one-quarter of all adults worldwide and as many as one in three Americans suffer from hypertension, a leading cause of heart disease and death from a heart attack. Blueberry juice contain a type of antioxidant called anthocyanins that scientists believe is responsible for their positive effect on blood pressure. One lab study showed that the phytonutrients in blueberry leaves have a marked inhibitory effect on ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) activity. A study reported in the Feb 2011 edition of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers showed that people consuming at least one serving of blueberry per week reduced their risk of developing hypertension (10 %) compared to those not eating blueberry. Blueberry can guard against high blood pressure, according to research by the University of  East Anglia and Harvard University. “Our findings are exciting and suggest that an achievable dietary intake of anthocyanins may contribute to the prevention of hypertension,” said lead author Prof Aedin Cassidy of the Department of Nutrition at University of East Anglia (UEA) Medical School. Reported in the Jan 2011 edition of  Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology, scientists recommend adding blueberry to the diet to avoid the onset of hypertension.

Anti-Inflammatory

The anti-inflammatory effects of anthocyanins can help lower the risk of degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, atherosclerosis and osteoporosis. Scientists believe that the phytochemicals in blueberry may lessen inflammatory processes in tissues by increasing cells membranes ability to allow vital nutrients and chemical signals to pass in and out of the cell. In a clinical trial involving 120 patient, those taking 300 mg of an anthocyanin extract daily for three weeks experienced a decrease of between 25% to 60% in many different inflammatory mediators.  Ullevaal University Hospital report that a mixture of anthocyanins from blueberries and blackcurrants reduced levels of transcription factor NF-kB.

Brain Health

Blueberry are a important source of antioxidants that protect the nervous system and increase memory and cognitive in humans. This fruit may help protect healthful nerve communication and prevent degenerative effects in the brain that lead to Alzheimer’s disease and age-related conditions. Proanthocyanidins and anthocyanidins found in blueberries cross the blood-brain barrier and offer protection to tissues in the central nervous system. Eating blueberries regularly may provide important phytochemicals and antioxidants to your diet that will support your brain function and help to prevent age-related decline of the nervous system. According to a study reported in Nutritional Neuroscience in 2003, scientists explored the effect of blueberry to protect against age-related mental decline. Fruit had a protecting activity on the brains of mice, helping to prevent the cognitive decline. Blueberry juice protect against nerve degeneration, according to a study reported in the Sep 2010 edition of the British Journal of Nutrition. The findings of the research, reported in the April 2010, edition of  Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, indicate that after twelve weeks of blueberries juice, participants had developed learning ability and developed memory. In another study, compared with control animals that did not receive blueberries, rats whose brains were injected with an inflammatory neurotoxin known to cause learning impairment showed marked healing in cognition and spatial memory when fed a blueberries extract diet for 8 weeks prior to injection.

Anticancer Effects

Anthocyanins from various herb sources including blueberries have been shown to possess anticancer effects. The juice of blueberry significantly inhibits in vitro proliferation of prostate, breast, gastric and intestinal cancer. Anthocyanins and anti-cancer mechanisms; 1- Antioxidation effect, 2-the molecular mechanisms involved in anticarcinogenesis, 3-the molecular mechanisms involved in the apoptosis induction of tumor cells.

Pterostilbene, a phenolic compound found in blueberries. A new study showed that pterostilbene induced apoptosis in human gastric carcinoma cell cultures. In this study, administration of either isolated pterostilbene or blueberry suppressed the occurrence of pre-cancerous lesions in the colons of rats exposed to azoxymethane, a carcinogenic compound known to induce colonic adenomas and cancer. The findings on mice, reported in Cancer Research in May 2010, demonstrated  that after 6 weeks, the mice receiving blueberries extract had tumors that were 70% smaller. In vitro study carried out in 2001 at the “University of Mississippi” found that blueberries extracts slowed the growth of two aggressive cervical cancer lines and two fast-replicating breast cancer cell lines. A study reported in Aug 2005 in the “Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry” demonstrated that blueberries flavonoids down-regulate structure-degrading enzymes that enables cancerous cells to spread and invade other tissues. Blueberry contain other antioxidant compound called ellagic acid, which blocks metabolic pathways that can lead to cancer. According to some research, ellagic acid reduces the effect of estrogen on cancer cell growth in breast tissue and promotes the breakdown and removal of cancer-causing substances in the blood via the liver. Ellagic acid prevents the destruction of P53 gene by cancer cells. P53 gene, has the capability to rebuild damaged DNA under normal conditions. However, as part of cancer development it becomes switched off.

Resveratrol (3,4′,5-trihydroxystilbene) is a compound produced naturally by several plants when under attack by pathogens such as fungi or bacteria, and is found in the skin of red grapes. In grapes, those that are black or purple in color contain the highest concentration of resveratrol. Grape skin contains about 50 to 100 micrograms of resveratrol per gram, while  wine concentrations range from 1.5 to 3 milligrams per liter. Since a glass of wine is nearly 5 and 1/3 ounces, a person taking 20 mg resveratrol supplement may ingest the equivalent amount of resveratrol found in 41 glasses of red wine.

Resveratrol Best Food Sources List

Red grapes, red wine, Japanese knotweed, Itadori tea, melinjo (Gnetum gnemon L.), black raspberries, mulberries, cranberries, blueberries, peanuts.

Resveratrol Health Importance and Benefits

Resveratrol is one of the strong antioxidant, which has been found to play a protective role against cancers of prostate and colon, coronary heart disease, degenerative nerve disease, Alzheimer’s and viral infections. Anti-inflammatory effects have been demonstrated to prevent, delay, or decrease the severity of chronic inflammatory disease in animal models.There are  various reports in the literature show that resveratrol dampens inflammation in arthritis and immune responsiveness in autoimmune diseases  suppresses angiogenesis and metastasis in different cancers and inhibits ROS products and platelet aggregation in cardiovascular ailments.

Antioxidant

As an antioxidant, resveratrol fights these free radicals to keep the cells and tissues normal and free from damage. Free radicals are unstable molecules that attack normal cells and damage membranes. Antioxidants are substances that protect cells from oxidative damage caused by molecules called free radicals. Cell death caused by free radicals contributes to a variety of diseases, including heart disease, some forms of cancer and nervous system disorders such as Alzheimer’s.

Anti-inflammatory Effects

Resveratrol might help avoid and reduce inflammation in body. That includes the inhibition of synthesis and release of pro-inflammatory mediators, modifications of eicosanoid synthesis, inhibition of some activated immune cells, or inhibiting the enzymes, such as COX-1 or COX-2, which are responsible for the synthesis of pro-inflammatory mediators through the inhibitory property of resveratrol on transcription factors like nuclear factor kappaB or AP-1.  NF-kappaB is a protein that binds to DNA and regulates the genes involved in inflammation and generation of tumors. Resveratrol decreases NFkB (nuclear factor kappa B) activation. That’s why, its inhibition of nuclear factor kappa B may reduce the effects of related chronic illness. In the double-blind a study, scientists gave the patients 40 mg of resveratrol once per day. After 6 weeks of trial activity, blood samples from the resveratrol group far exceeded the placebo group in reduction of free radicals and blood vessel inflammation. Inflammation is one of main mechanisms of autoimmune illness and a common property of most diseases. Sirtuin1 has been shown to play a role in regulation of inflammation. Resveratrol, a powerful Sirt1 activator, has anti-inflammation feature.

Heart Health

Resveratrol helps lessen inflammation and makes it more difficult for platelets to stick together and form the clots that can lead to a heart attack. Experimental and epidemiological studies have revealed that a mild to moderate drinking of wine, especially red wine, lowers the cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and peripheral vascular risk. Research in mice given resveratrol suggests that the antioxidant might also help preserve them from diabetes and obesity , both of which are important risk factors for heart disease.

Resveratrol dilates blood vessels to develop blood flow and increases nitric oxide production, which is a important Resveratrolpart of healthful blood flow and heart health. A study, reported in the journal “Biofactors” in September 2010, found that resveratrol triggers the release of nitric oxide, which plays an significant role in relaxation of blood vessels. In a January 2012 placebo-controlled study of forty patients who had suffered a heart attack, scientists at the “University of Pecs”, found that taking 10 mg of resveratrol daily for 3 months boosted endothelial function. Scientists at “Zhejiang University” investigated the influence of injections of resveratrol on the central regulation of blood pressure, heart rate, and renal sympathetic nerve activity in animals. Findings suggest that resveratrol strong inhibits blood pressure, heart rate, and renal sympathetic nerve activity.

Brain Health

Laboratory studies suggest that resveratrol has neuro-protective features.Resveratrol protects brain cells by reducing inflammation in the central nervous system, according to study reported in the August 2010 edition of the journal Neuroinflammation. Neurons are the main building blocks of the nervous system and are responsible for signals sent between cells. According to the “University of Basel” in a study on cell cultures resveratrol enhances cell viability through offering neuro-protective and anti-oxidative advantages by enhancing the free-radical scavenger glutathione. Alzheimer’s disease, is characterized by a progressive dementia, and is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders in the elderly. Accumulation of soluble high molecular weight amyloid-beta compounds in the brains of Alzheimer’s disease people leads to the formation of plaques that are believed to be responsible for the memory loss and dementia that occurs with the disease. Amyloid beta triggers oxidative stress and inflammation that directly damages brain cells, particularly in memory centers of the brain.  Resveratrol promotes the non-amyloidogenic cleavage of the amyloid precursor protein, enhances clearance of amyloid beta-peptides, and reduces neuronal damage. A research published in the November 2005 edition of the “Journal of  Biological Chemistry” revealed that resveratrol, reduces amyloid-beta peptide levels produced by specific brain cells.

Anticancer Activity

Resveratrol has been found to inhibit the proliferation of a variety of human cancer cell lines, including those from prostate, breast, colon, stomach, thyroid and  pancreatic cancers. The antioxidant effect of resveratrol helps to avoid damage to DNA, influences the transcriptions of genes responsible for redox metabolism and inhibits proliferartion of cancer cells. Researches have shown that resveratrol helps avoid cancer during all three phases of the cancer process; initiation, promotion and progression. Resveratrol has  been found to increase expression and activation of one substantial “suicide” pathway known as p53.  Also, was found to inactivate some enzymes of the CYP450 family in tumor cells.

Resveratrol was found to inhibit the self-renewing ability of human pancreatic cancer stem cells in vitro in a research reported in 2011 in PloS One. Scientists at the “University of Leicester” have been researching the levels of resveratrol which can be useful in preventing cancer. Using lab models, they have found that a daily rate of resveratrol equivalent to 2 glasses of wine can halve the rate of bowel tumors.  Research reported  in the journal “Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences” found that resveratrol is also a strong “chemosensitizer,” which means it helps cancer tumors respond more effectively to chemotherapy treatment. According to that research, resveratrol effectively modulates cell signaling molecules, which can help enhance the effectiveness of standard cancer treatments.

According to  M D Anderson researches, resveratrol improves chemotherapy success and reduces adverse effects; it also enhances glutathione levels which help oxygenate and restore healthy cells. MD Anderson have researched resveratrol and shown in a number of studies that resveratrol can be a important force as a preventive and chemotherapy factor. In studies with breast cancer and astrocytoma cells, resveratrol has been shown to induce apoptosis via p53 pathways. P53 is the gene that repairs DNA. Resveratrol inhibits breast cancer cell lines via induction of apoptotic cell death, according to a research reported in the May 2005 edition of the Molecular Nutrition & Food Research journal. Apoptosis is a regular process that helps your body get rid of tumor cells. “Resveratrol has the capability to avoid the first step that occurs when estrogen starts the process that leads to cancer by blocking the formation of the estrogen DNA adducts. We believe that this could stop the whole progression that leads to breast cancer down the road.” (Eleanor G. Rogan, professor in the University of Nebraska Medical Center)

Side Effects

Resveratrol makes platelets in the bloodstream less “sticky,” and therefore could increase the risk of bleeding in patients who take warfarin, aspirin, clopidogrel, ibuprofen, or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications.