Interactions on record — worth a quick check against your medications. Based on 2 of 4 ingredients. Check your meds →
Dietary supplement

Bilberry Extract 25% Anthocyanidin Ingredients & Drug Interactions

by Herb Xtra

Capsule Category: Botanical With Nutrients
Most serious interaction: Moderate
The interaction bottom line Most serious interaction: Moderate

Bilberry Extract 25% Anthocyanidin is a dietary supplement by Herb Xtra with 4 active ingredients. Its ingredients are commonly taken for joint and bone health, skin, hair, and nail support, source of dietary protein.Based on those ingredients, 275 medications have a known interaction with it, the most serious rated moderate. The ingredients most likely to interact are 20 mg Bilberry Extract 100:1. Use the checker below to test your specific medication, or read the full HelloPharmacist Interaction Report.

HelloPharmacist Scorecard of Bilberry Extract 25% Anthocyanidin by Herb Xtra

Our pharmacy team’s full take, with four database checks built into the cards below — a summary of what is known, not a grade of the product itself.

From our pharmacy team — supplement deep dive

What’s inside

Partial disclosure
Ingredient Transparency · database check
Partial

Most active ingredients list an amount, but at least one is hidden in a blend or missing.

Why this rating?
  • The label discloses an exact amount for 2 of its 4 active ingredients.

This product contains 4 ingredients total. The active ingredient is 20 mg of bilberry extract concentrated to a 100:1 ratio — that means it's a concentrated form that delivers the anthocyanidins (the blue pigments) bilberries are known for.

The other three ingredients are gelatin (the capsule itself), water, and 230 mg of cellulose fiber, which are inactive — they're there to hold the capsule together and help it dissolve.

Does it work?

Leans against
Evidence for Intended Use · database check
By FDA rules, dietary supplements can’t claim to treat, cure, or prevent disease — so labels speak in careful marketing language. We discern each product’s intended use from its name, label claims, and label statements, then grade the clinical evidence for that use. How these ratings are computed
Leans against

The strongest graded evidence we hold for the stated purpose leans against a benefit.

Why this rating?
  • The label markets this product for: eye and vision health.
  • We looked for evidence on: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), Asthenopia (eye strain), Cataracts, Diabetic retinopathy, Dry eye, Glaucoma — and 4 related terms.
  • The closest evidence on file: Bilberry is rated "Possibly Ineffective" for Night vision (Natural Medicines).
  • Also on file: Bilberry is rated "Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate" for Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), Cataracts, Diabetic retinopathy, Dry eye, and more.

The evidence for bilberry extract is limited. For night vision, the data rates it as possibly ineffective — meaning the studies we have don't support that claim.

For other uses like age-related macular degeneration, cognitive decline, atherosclerosis, high cholesterol, and chronic venous insufficiency, we don't have enough reliable evidence in our data to rate how well it works. If you're considering this for a specific condition, talk to your pharmacist about what the current research actually shows.

The evidence, ingredient by ingredient Gelatin Bilberry

How safe is it?

Well-documented data
Safety Information · database check
Well characterized

Adverse-effect, pregnancy, and general safety data are on file for most of these ingredients.

Why this rating?
  • We hold adverse-effect (side-effect) data for 2 of the 2 matched ingredients.
  • Pregnancy & breastfeeding safety ratings cover 2 of 2.
  • General safety write-ups exist for 2 of 2.
  • Remember: this measures how much safety information exists. Thin data is not the same as being safe.

Bilberry extract is generally well tolerated when taken by mouth. The most common side effects are mild: dark-colored stools (from the pigments), flatulence, and mild stomach discomfort.

A small number of trial participants reported these effects. Gelatin, the capsule material, is safe in food amounts, though you should check with your doctor about supplement doses.

Some people can have allergic reactions to gelatin, though that's rare. There's limited long-term safety data for bilberry extract supplements specifically, so the data advises caution with concentrated forms.

Side effects, ingredient by ingredient Gelatin Bilberry

Meds to double-check

Moderate interaction found
Known Interaction Concern · database check
Moderate identified

The most serious documented interaction for these ingredients is Moderate. Check your medications for a personalized result.

Why this rating?
  • 1 of the 2 matched ingredients can interact with medications — Bilberry.
  • The most serious interaction on file is rated Moderate.
  • Some involve high-stakes drug classes: anticoagulant / antiplatelet drugs; diabetes medications.
  • For scale: 275 individual medications appear in the full list. A big number alone doesn't make a product dangerous — what matters is whether YOUR medication is on it, so run yours through the interaction checker on this page.

Before you take this, double-check if you're on blood thinners or antiplatelet drugs (like warfarin, aspirin, or clopidogrel) — bilberry may increase bleeding risk. Also check diabetes medications (metformin, insulin, sulfonylureas) because bilberry may lower blood sugar further.

If you take erlotinib (Tarceva) or drugs metabolized by CYP2E1, flag those too.

Check your own medication Run your meds through the checker above

The bottom line

Scorecard at a glancePartially disclosed formula with graded evidence leaning against its stated purpose. Moderate medication interactions have been identified, and safety information is well characterized.

This product is generally well tolerated and has a straightforward safety profile for most people. But because of the interactions with blood thinners, diabetes drugs, and certain other medications, you really do need to check your prescriptions before starting it.

If you're on any regular medication, run it through the tool below first — and talk to your pharmacist.

Educational only — not medical advice; always confirm with your pharmacist. Our editorial policy · How we use AI

Assessment coverage: 2 of 4 active ingredients matched to our full ingredient reviews (monographs). Based on the product label dated Jan 25, 2013.

This Scorecard evaluates available label information, ingredient evidence, and known medication-safety considerations. It does not independently verify product identity, purity, potency, contamination, or manufacturing quality. How these ratings are computed

At a glance

General information

Key facts about Bilberry Extract 25% Anthocyanidin, straight from the product label.

Brand Herb Xtra
Barcode (UPC) 777949001985
Net contents 100 Capsule(s); 250 mg
Market status On market
Date entered into DSLD Jan 25, 2013
DSLD ID 17633
Product type Botanical With Nutrients
Supplement form Capsule
Dietary claims / uses All Other
Intended target group(s) Adult (18 - 50 Years)
From the label
Everything in this section is reproduced from the manufacturer’s own product label — it’s the label speaking, not HelloPharmacist. We show it so you can see exactly what the maker states; we don’t verify or endorse those statements.

Supplement Facts

The label details for Bilberry Extract 25% Anthocyanidin by Herb Xtra, sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database.

Supplement Facts

Daily Value (DV) Target Group(s):
Adults and children 4 or more years of age
Minimum serving Sizes:
1 Capsule(s)
Maximum serving Sizes:
1 Capsule(s)
UPC/BARCODE
777949001985
IngredientAmount% DV
Gelatin0 NP--
Water0 NP--
20 mg Bilberry Extract 100:120 mg--
230 mg Cellulose Fiber230 mg--

Tap any ingredient to jump to its full detail below.

Label statements
These statements are the manufacturer’s wording, reproduced from the product label — the label is saying it, not HelloPharmacist. We don’t verify or endorse them.
General Statements

Vaccinium myrtillus STANDARDIZED

Suggested/Recommended/Usage/Directions

Use: As a Herbal Supplement: 1 capsule 3 times daily with a glass of water.

General

H852308

See for yourself

Bilberry Extract 25% Anthocyanidin by Herb Xtra label

The label scan from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Tap to enlarge.

What’s inside

The Ingredients in Bilberry Extract 25% Anthocyanidin by Herb Xtra

These are the 4 active ingredients this product is made of. Select any to open its full monograph.

Serving size1 Capsule(s) Dosage formCapsule Amounts shown are per serving.

Most supplement products combine several ingredients, and a medication can interact with the product through any one of them. Each ingredient below shows whether it has known drug interactions.

Gelatin

No known
interactions
0 NP per serving

Gelatin is a protein made from animal collagen, used as a food, a capsule ingredient, and a supplement for joint, skin, and bone health. For most heal...

Gelatin monograph & interactions

Water

0 NP per serving

20 mg Bilberry Extract 100:1

Interacts with
275 drugs
20 mg per serving Form: Anthocyanidins

Bilberry is a blueberry-like fruit rich in antioxidant plant compounds called anthocyanins, and it has a long history of traditional use for eye healt...

20 mg Bilberry Extract 100:1 monograph & interactions

230 mg Cellulose Fiber

230 mg per serving
Interaction report

Bilberry Extract 25% Anthocyanidin by Herb Xtra Drug Interactions

Want to check YOUR meds against Bilberry Extract 25% Anthocyanidin?

Ask about interactions with your drugs in plain English — “Can I take it with lisinopril?” — and we find you the answer in seconds, ingredient by ingredient.

Go to the checker
275Drugs
275 Moderate

Ingredients driving the most interactions

Each ingredient & the kinds of drugs it affects

For each ingredient in Bilberry Extract 25% Anthocyanidin with known interactions, here are the types of medications it can affect. Open any type for the detail — or search your exact drug in the checker above.

20 mg Bilberry Extract 100:14 drug types · 275 drugs

Anticoagulant/Antiplatelet Drugs

Theoretically, bilberry fruit extract might increase the risk of bleeding when taken with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.
In vitro, animal, and clinical research suggest that anthocyanidin extracts from bilberry can inhibit platelet aggregation.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Antidiabetes Drugs

Theoretically, bilberry leaf or fruit extract may increase the risk of hypoglycemia when taken with antidiabetes drugs.
Animal research suggests that bilberry leaf extract might have blood glucose-lowering activity. Also, one small clinical trial in patients with type 2 diabetes shows that taking bilberry fruit extract 470 mg as a single dose prior to an oral glucose tolerance test lowers plasma glucose levels when compared with placebo.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Cytochrome P450 2E1 (Cyp2E1) Substrates

Theoretically, bilberry fruit extract might decrease levels of drugs metabolized by CYP2E1.
Animal research shows that exposure to small concentrations of bilberry extract in drinking water for around one month increased CYP2E1 activity by 31%. However, exposure over a 2-month period did not increase CYP2E1 activity. This effect has not been reported in humans.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Erlotinib (Tarceva)

Theoretically, bilberry fruit extract might reduce the efficacy of erlotinib.
In vitro research suggests that bilberry fruit extract and its constituents, delphinidin and delphinidin-3-O-glucoside, inhibit the activity of erlotinib. This interaction has not been reported in humans.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
The maker

Brand information

Manufacturer and brand details for Bilberry Extract 25% Anthocyanidin, from the product label.

Herb Xtra

See all Herb Xtra products
Name
GOURMET NUTRITION F.B. INC.
City
STE-JULIE
State
QUEBEC
ZipCode
J3E 1Z2
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Bilberry Extract 25% Anthocyanidin by Herb Xtra: Common Questions

Does Bilberry Extract 25% Anthocyanidin by Herb Xtra interact with any medications?
Yes. Based on its ingredients, Bilberry Extract 25% Anthocyanidin has a known interaction with 275 medications. Use the checker to see how it interacts with a specific drug.
How can one product interact with so many drugs?
Bilberry Extract 25% Anthocyanidin contains 4 active ingredients, and an interaction can come from any of them. We check every ingredient, combine the results into one list per medication, and show which ingredient and mechanism is responsible.
Where does this information come from?
The product label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD); the interaction data is built on the Natural Medicines database and reviewed by HelloPharmacist pharmacists.
Will this product work for my eyesight or night vision?
The evidence doesn't support that claim. Night vision is rated as possibly ineffective in our data. While bilberry has been used traditionally for eye health, the current research doesn't back up these uses reliably.
What are the most common side effects?
Dark-colored stools, flatulence, and mild stomach discomfort are the most common. The dark stools come from bilberry's pigments and aren't harmful — just normal. These effects are usually mild.
Is it safe to take while pregnant or breastfeeding?
The bilberry extract is rated as likely safe during pregnancy and lactation based on the data we have. Gelatin is rated likely safe in pregnancy and while breastfeeding too, though the data on supplement doses while breastfeeding is limited — talk to your doctor or pharmacist for personalized advice.
Why can't you check water and cellulose fiber for interactions?
We don't hold interaction data for those two ingredients. Water is so common we don't track it, and cellulose fiber hasn't been checked in our system. That doesn't mean they interact — just that the information isn't on file.
What's a bilberry extract 100:1 ratio?
It means the extract is concentrated — you need 100 pounds of fresh bilberry material to make 1 pound of this extract. So 20 mg of this extract is much more potent than 20 mg of whole bilberry.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Not sure if Bilberry Extract 25% Anthocyanidin is safe with your meds?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

Ask a pharmacist

Label information is sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database and reflects the product version on file; always read your actual product label. This page is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Confirm with your pharmacist or doctor before combining supplements and medications.

Bilberry Extract 25% Anthocyanidin label
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Bilberry Extract 25% Anthocyanidin's label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database; the ingredient interaction data is from the Natural Medicines database, reviewed by our pharmacists.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

The 25 references behind this product’s interaction data

Every citation that drives the interaction findings for this product’s ingredients, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Open an ingredient to browse its citations — links open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

Gelatin 11 references
  1. Lewis CJ. Letter to reiterate certain public health and safety concerns to firms manufacturing or importing dietary supplements that contain specific bovine tissues. FDA. Available at: www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/dspltr05.html.
  2. Schwick HG, Heide K. Immunochemistry and immunology of collagen and gelatin. Bibl Haematol 1969;33:111-25. PubMed
  3. Moskowitz RW. Role of collagen hydrolysate in bone and joint disease.Semin Arthritis Rheum 2000;30:87-99. PubMed
  4. Kelso JM. The gelatin story. J Allergy Clin Immunol 1999;103:200-2.
  5. Nakayama T, Aizawa C, Kuno-Sakai H. A clinical analysis of gelatin allergy and determination of its causal relationship to the previous administration of gelatin-containing acellular pertussis vaccine combined with diphtheria and tetanus toxoids. J Allerg PubMed
  6. Sakaguchi M, Inouye S. Anaphylaxis to gelatin-containing rectal suppositories. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2001;108:1033-4. PubMed
  7. PDR Electronic Library. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, Inc., 2001.
  8. de la Fuente Tornero E, Vega Castro A, de Sierra Hernández PÁ, et al. Kounis syndrome during anesthesia: Presentation of indolent systemic mastocytosis: A case report. A Case Rep. 2017;8(9):226-228. PubMed
  9. Ventura Spagnolo E, Calapai G, Minciullo PL, Mannucci C, Asmundo A, Gangemi S. Lethal anaphylactic reaction to intravenous gelatin in the course of surgery. Am J Ther. 2016;23(6):e1344-e1346. PubMed
  10. Li Y, He H, Yang L, Li X, Li D, Luo S. Therapeutic effect of Colla corii asini on improving anemia and hemoglobin compositions in pregnant women with thalassemia. Int J Hematol. 2016;104(5):559-565. PubMed
  11. Coury JR, Skaggs KF, Marciano GF, et al. Intraoperative Anaphylaxis to the Bovine Flowable Gelatin Matrix: A Report of 2 Cases. JBJS Case Connect 2022;12(1). PubMed

See these in context on the Gelatin monograph →

Bilberry 14 references
  1. Cignarella A, Nastasi M, Cavalli E, Puglisi L. Novel lipid-lowering properties of Vaccinium myrtillus L. leaves, a traditional antidiabetic treatment, in several models of rat dyslipidaemia: a comparison with ciprofibrate. Thromb Res 1996;84:311-22. PubMed
  2. Morazzoni P, Magistretti MJ. Activity of Myrtocyan, an anthosyanoside complex from Vaccinium myrtillus (VMA), on platelet aggregation and adhesiveness. Fitoterapia 1990;61:13-21.
  3. Erlund, I., Koli, R., Alfthan, G., Marniemi, J., Puukka, P., Mustonen, P., Mattila, P., and Jula, A. Favorable effects of berry consumption on platelet function, blood pressure, and HDL cholesterol. Am J Clin Nutr 2008;87(2):323-331. PubMed
  4. Hawrelak, J. A. and Myers, S. P. Effects of two natural medicine formulations on irritable bowel syndrome symptoms: a pilot study. J Altern Complement Med 2010;16(10):1065-1071. PubMed
  5. Morazzoni P and Magistretti MJ. Effects of Vaccinium myrtillus anthocyanosides on prostacyclin-like activity in rat arterial issue. Fitoterapia 1986;57:11-14.
  6. Pulliero G, Montin S, Bettini V, and et al. Ex vivo study of the inhibitory effects of Vaccinium myrtillus anthocyanosides on human platelet aggregation. Fitoterapia 1989;60:69-75.
  7. Bottecchia D. Preliminary report on the inhibitory effect of vaccinium myrtillus anthocyanosides on platelet aggregation and clot retraction. Fitoterapia 1987;48:3-8.
  8. Fdez, M., Zaragoza, F., and Alvarez, P. In vitro platelet aggregation effects of anthocyanosides of vaccinium myrtilus L. Anales de la Real Academia de Farmacia 1983;49:79-90.
  9. Biedermann L, Mwinyi J, Scharl M, Frei P, Zeitz J, Kullak-Ublick GA, et al. Bilberry ingestion improves disease activity in mild to moderate ulcerative colitis-an open pilot study. 2013 May;7(4):271-9. PubMed
  10. Hoggard N, Cruickshank M, Moar KM, Bestwick C, Holst J, Russell W, et al. A single supplement of a standardized bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) extract (36% wet weight anthocyanins) modifies glycaemic response in individuals with type 2 diabetes control
  11. Aichinger G, Pahlke G, Nagel LJ, Berger W, Marko D. Bilberry extract, its major phenolic compounds, and soy isoflavone genistein antagonize the cytostatic drug erlotinib in human epithelial cells. Food Funct 2016;7(8):3628-36.
  12. Prokop J, Lněničková K, Cibicek N, et al. Effect of bilberry extract (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) on drug-metabolizing enzymes in rats. Food Chem Toxicol 2019;129:382-90. PubMed
  13. Chan SW, Chu TTW, Choi SW, Benzie IFF, Tomlinson B. Impact of short-term bilberry supplementation on glycemic control, cardiovascular disease risk factors, and antioxidant status in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes. Phytother Res 2021. Online ahead o PubMed
  14. Bøhn SK, Myhrstad MCW, Thoresen M, et al. Bilberry/red grape juice decreases plasma biomarkers of inflammation and tissue damage in aged men with subjective memory impairment -a randomized clinical trial. BMC Nutr 2021;7(1):75. PubMed

See these in context on the Bilberry monograph →

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

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