Dried Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) Alleviates the Inflammation and Adverse Metabolic Effects Caused by a High-Fat Diet in a Mouse Model of Obesity

Abstract

Obesity is an increasing problem worldwide. It is often associated with co-morbidities such as type II diabetes, atherosclerotic diseases, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The risk of these diseases can be lowered by relieving the systemic low-grade inflammation associated with obesity, even without noticeable weight loss. Bilberry is an anthocyanin-rich wild berry with known antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In the present study, a high-fat-diet-induced mouse model of obesity was used to investigate the effects of air-dried bilberry powder on weight gain, systemic inflammation, lipid and glucose metabolism, and changes in the gene expression in adipose and hepatic tissues. The bilberry supplementation was unable to modify the weight gain, but it prevented the increase in the hepatic injury marker ALT and many inflammatory factors like SAA, MCP1, and CXCL14 induced by the high-fat diet. The bilberry supplementation also partially prevented the increase in serum cholesterol, glucose, and insulin levels. In conclusion, the bilberry supplementation alleviated the systemic and hepatic inflammation and retarded the development of unwanted changes in the lipid and glucose metabolism induced by the high-fat diet. Thus, the bilberry supplementation seemed to support to retain a healthier metabolic phenotype during developing obesity, and that effect might have been contributed to by bilberry anthocyanins.

Bioavailability of Anthocyanins: Whole Foods versus Extracts

“…Furthermore, the black raspberry extract inhibited the growth of the pathogenic genus Escherichia/Shigella and promoted beneficial bacteria, particularly Fusicatenibacter and Lachnoclostridium, in all microbiota sources [71]. These results validate the ability of anthocyanins to modulate gut microbiota composition and diversity, thereby contributing to potential health-promoting effects, including reducing insulin resistance, obesity, inflammation, and cardiovascular issues [101][102][103].…”

“…Anthocyanins are widely studied for their ability to alleviate inflammation in animals, as depicted in Table 2, and are considered a potential therapeutic option for inflammatory bowel diseases. Anthocyanin-rich extracts from black rice [116], bilberry [103], blueberry [117], and Portuguese blueberry [118] all showed anti-inflammatory effects in mice with induced colitis. This is achieved by their ability to inhibit the pro-inflammatory cytokine secretions of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-8, improving intestinal permeability, colonic MPO activity, and mRNA expression [119].…”

A mixture of Nordic berries improves cognitive function, metabolic function and alters the gut microbiota in C57Bl/6J male mice

“…In fact, the study shows a trend in the berry group of reduced insulin levels, although non-significant. Previous studies by us and others ( 83 , 84 ) have shown that a high dose (20%) of lingonberries and bilberries have shown protection against insulin resistance, body weight gain, body fat accumulation, and cholesterol levels in the same mouse strain fed a 45E% high-fat diet. The results on metabolic syndrome-related parameters have been especially promising with lingonberries, with some more mixed results for bilberries.…”

Vaccinium uliginosum and Vaccinium myrtillus—Two Species—One Used as a Functional Food

“…As a result of blueberry supplementation, serum insulin, glucose, and cholesterol concentrations were partly reduced, systemic and hepatic inflammation was suppressed, and undesirable changes in glucose/lipid metabolism were retarded. Consequently, blueberry supplementation appeared to support a healthier metabolic phenotype during obesity development [103].…”