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Dietary supplement

Standardized Bilberry Fruit Extract Ingredients & Drug Interactions

by Bluebonnet

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

Standardized Bilberry Fruit Extract is a dietary supplement by Bluebonnet with 1 active ingredient. Its ingredients are commonly taken for eye and vision health, antioxidant support, diarrhea and digestive upset.Based on those ingredients, 275 medications have a known interaction with it, the most serious rated moderate. The ingredients most likely to interact are Bilberry fruit extract. Use the checker below to test your specific medication, or read the full HelloPharmacist Interaction Report.

HelloPharmacist Scorecard of Standardized Bilberry Fruit Extract by Bluebonnet

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

Full disclosure
Ingredient Transparency · database check
Full

Every active ingredient lists its own amount on the label.

Why this rating?
  • The label discloses an exact amount for 1 of its 1 active ingredient.
  • No proprietary blends here — you can verify the dose of every single component.

This product contains one active ingredient: bilberry fruit extract, a concentrated form of the bilberry plant. Bilberry is a dark blue berry traditionally used to support eye and circulatory health.

The capsule itself is made from vegetable-derived materials, with cellulose, magnesium stearate, and silica as inactive ingredients to hold everything together.

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 support.
  • 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 mixed and incomplete. For night vision, the data suggests it's possibly ineffective — meaning claims about sharp eyesight in low light don't hold up well in research.

For age-related cognitive decline, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), atherosclerosis, high cholesterol (hyperlipidemia), and chronic venous insufficiency, there simply isn't enough reliable evidence to say whether it works. If you're considering this supplement for any of these reasons, talk with your doctor or pharmacist about what the science actually supports.

The evidence, ingredient by ingredient 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 1 of the 1 matched ingredient.
  • Pregnancy & breastfeeding safety ratings cover 1 of 1.
  • General safety write-ups exist for 1 of 1.
  • Remember: this measures how much safety information exists. Thin data is not the same as being safe.

Bilberry fruit as a food is generally well tolerated and safe. The supplement form, however, has limited long-term safety data, and we'd advise caution with concentrated doses.

The most common side effects you might notice are dark-colored stools (or even dark discoloration of your tongue or teeth), flatulence, and mild stomach discomfort. In small studies, a small number of people reported temporary digestive upset, and in one study roughly one-third of participants experienced mild-to-moderate gas — though that group had ulcerative colitis and lacked a control group, so the finding is limited.

Overall, when people do take it, bilberry extract seems to cause mostly tolerable effects.

Side effects, ingredient by ingredient 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 1 matched ingredient 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 taking this product, check whether you take any blood thinners or antiplatelet drugs (warfarin, aspirin, clopidogrel), diabetes medications, drugs metabolized by the CYP2E1 liver enzyme, or erlotinib. Bilberry extract may increase bleeding risk, lower your blood sugar further, or reduce how well these medications work.

Check your own medication Run your meds through the checker above

The bottom line

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

If you eat bilberries as food, that's fine. If you're thinking about taking this concentrated supplement, first check your medications against the interaction list below — especially if you take blood thinners, diabetes drugs, or cancer medications.

The evidence for what this supplement actually does is thin, and long-term safety data is limited. Talk with your pharmacist before starting.

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

Assessment coverage: 1 of 1 active ingredient matched to our full ingredient reviews (monographs). Based on the product label dated Jul 25, 2018.

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 Standardized Bilberry Fruit Extract, straight from the product label.

Brand Bluebonnet
Barcode (UPC) 743715013131
Net contents 120 Vegetable Capsule(s)
Market status On market
Date entered into DSLD Jul 25, 2018
DSLD ID 179371
Product type Botanical
Supplement form Capsule
Dietary claims / uses All Other
Intended target group(s) Vegan, Vegetarian, Adult (18 - 50 Years), Kosher, Gluten Free, Dairy Free
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 Standardized Bilberry Fruit Extract by Bluebonnet, 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
743715013131
IngredientAmount% DV
Bilberry fruit extract80 mg--

Other ingredients: Kosher Vegetable Capsules, Vegetable Cellulose, Vegetable Magnesium Stearate, Silica

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.
Suggested/Recommended/Usage/Directions

Directions: As a dietary supplement, take one vegetarian capsule daily or as directed by a healthcare practitioner.

Formula

Bluebonnet’s Standardized Bilberry Fruit Extract Capsules contain Mirtoselect from Indena, a standardized extract of anthocyanins, the most researched active constituents found in bilberry fruit.

Bluebonnet’s KOF-K Certification #K-0000700

36% Anthocyanins

General Statements

A clean and gentle water-based extraction method is employed to capture and preserve bilberry’s most valuable components.

Sustainably Wildcrafted.

Formulation

Available in easy-to-swallow vegetable derived capsules for maximum assimilation/absorption and for a truly vegetarian/vegan formula.

Made with non GMO ingredients

Free of milk, egg, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and soybeans. Also free of corn, yeast, gluten, barley, rice, sodium and sugar.

Seals/Symbols

Sustainably wildcrafted

Made with non GMO ingredients

K Parve Gluten free Vegan

Brand IP Statement(s)

Mirtoselect is a registered trademark of Indena S.p.A.

Mirtoselect an Indiana Product

General

1313C

FDA Statement of Identity

Herbal Supplement

See for yourself

Standardized Bilberry Fruit Extract by Bluebonnet label

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

What’s inside

The Ingredients in Standardized Bilberry Fruit Extract by Bluebonnet

This is the 1 active ingredient this product is made of. Select it to open its full monograph.

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

Bilberry fruit extract

Interacts with
275 drugs
80 mg per serving Form: Anthocyanins

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...

Bilberry fruit extract monograph & interactions

Other (inactive) ingredients: Kosher Vegetable Capsules, Vegetable Cellulose, Vegetable Magnesium Stearate, Silica. These complete the product’s ingredient list but are not active constituents.

Interaction report

Standardized Bilberry Fruit Extract by Bluebonnet Drug Interactions

Want to check YOUR meds against Standardized Bilberry Fruit Extract?

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 Standardized Bilberry Fruit Extract 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.

Bilberry fruit extract4 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 Standardized Bilberry Fruit Extract, from the product label.

Bluebonnet

Name
Bluebonnet Nutrition Corporation
Street Address
12915 Dairy Ashford
City
Sugar Land
State
TX
ZipCode
77478
Web Address
www.bluebonnetnutrition.com
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Standardized Bilberry Fruit Extract by Bluebonnet: Common Questions

Does Standardized Bilberry Fruit Extract by Bluebonnet interact with any medications?
Yes. Based on its ingredients, Standardized Bilberry Fruit Extract 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?
Standardized Bilberry Fruit Extract contains a single active ingredient, and that one ingredient can interact with many different medications on its own. We check it against each medication and show the mechanism 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.
Is bilberry safe during pregnancy or while breastfeeding?
Yes — bilberry fruit is rated as likely safe during pregnancy and lactation. That said, the data on supplement-strength doses during these times is still limited, so check with your doctor or midwife for personalized advice if you're considering taking this extract while pregnant or nursing.
Will this help my eyesight?
The evidence doesn't support it for night vision — research suggests it's probably ineffective for that claim. For other vision problems like age-related macular degeneration, there simply isn't enough reliable evidence to know either way.
What side effects might I notice?
Most common are dark or black stools (and sometimes darkening of your tongue or teeth), gas, and mild stomach discomfort. These are usually temporary and mild. In studies, a small number of people reported temporary digestive upset.
Can I take this long-term?
Long-term safety data on concentrated bilberry supplements is limited. While bilberry as a food is well tolerated, we'd recommend talking with your pharmacist before taking extract supplements for extended periods, especially at higher doses.
What's the difference between bilberry food and this supplement?
Eating bilberries as food is safe and fine. This product is a concentrated extract — much more potent — and safety data on supplement-strength doses is thinner. That's why we recommend caution with the concentrated form.

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

Not sure if Standardized Bilberry Fruit Extract is safe with your meds?

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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.

Standardized Bilberry Fruit Extract label
Go deeper

The Full Monographs Behind Standardized Bilberry Fruit Extract’s Ingredients

Every ingredient we hold a full HelloPharmacist monograph for — uses, evidence, safety, and the complete interaction list.

Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Standardized Bilberry Fruit Extract'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 14 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.

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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