Blueberries Slow Down The Development Of Liver Fibrosis

Chinese researchers have found that blueberries slow the development of liver fibrosis.

 

Some of the most commonly used medications for liver disease have strong and unpleasant side effects. For this reason, medicine is increasingly turning to effective and safe natural remedies.

 

Chinese scientists have conducted research on blueberries, long known for its healing effects on the eyes and brain, as well as its anti-cancer effect.

 

Blueberries are among the foods with a proven beneficial effect on health. Blueberry fruits are rich in vitamins, trace elements, minerals, tannins and flavonoids, essential fatty acids - linoleic acid (OMEGA-6), alpha linoleic acid (OMEGA-3), carotenoids and phytosterols. They contain about 6% arbutin, traces of hydroquinone, about 8% catechin tannins, flavonoids quercetin, hyperoside, isoquercetin, ursolic, chlorogenic and caffeic acid, vitamin C.

 

Blueberries contain a large amount of the substance pterostilbine, which is a natural antioxidant.

 

Dr. Min-Liang Cheng and colleagues at Guyang Medical College have conducted a number of studies on the effects of blueberries on some of the most common liver diseases, including fibrosis.

 

Liver fibrosis is the accumulation of coarse, fibrous connective tissue in the liver. 

 

The formation of fibrous tissue is a normal reaction of the body to damage, but in fibrosis this healing process is confused. When hepatocytes (functional liver cells) are damaged due to a virus infection, high alcohol consumption, toxins, trauma, or other factors, the immune system is activated to repair the damage.

 

Hepatocyte damage or death (necrosis) stimulates inflammatory immune cells to secrete cytokines, growth factors, and other chemicals. These chemically provoke supporting liver cells, called star cells, to activate and begin to produce collagen, glycoproteins (such as fibronectin), proteoglycans, and other substances. These substances are deposited in the liver, causing the formation of an extracellular matrix (non-functional connective tissue). At the same time, the process of breaking down or breaking down collagen is disrupted. In a healthy liver, the synthesis (fibrogenesis) and degradation (fibrolysis) of matrix tissue are in balance. Fibrosis occurs when a large amount of damaged tissue builds up faster than it can be broken down and removed by the liver.


It is believed that the development of liver fibrosis is largely due to bacterial or viral infections, as well as damaged vascular walls of the branches of the intrahepatic portal vein.

 

Infectious Diseases Specialist Dr. Cheng and his team conducted an experiment with laboratory mice that artificially induced liver fibrosis.

 

Fibrosis in rodents occurred after an eight-week diet high in fat and extremely low in protein, and injections of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). The first group was controlled and left untreated. Mice in the second group were given blueberries, those in the third group were given a mixture of Chinese medicinal herbs and capsule herbs (Dan-shao-hua-xian - DSHX), and the fourth group was given a combination of blueberries and DSHX.

 

After a week of therapy, the researchers performed tests to assess the condition of the liver tissue and its function.

 

The collected data showed that blueberries help reduce the size of the liver, reduce the level of hyaluronic acid and other harmful substances in the blood serum, as well as increase the useful components.

 

Compared to the results of untreated rodents, the level of harmful substances deposited in the liver tissue was many times lower.


The results are evidence that blueberries significantly slow liver fibrosis, the study authors explain.


Detailed results of the study were published in early June in the specialized journal World Journal of Gastroenterology.