Herbal Bilberry Protects the Liver Against Mitochondrial Dysfunction

By Kyle J. Norton


Mitochondria are power generators of the cell found abundantly in the liver and play a critical role in converting oxygen and nutrients to power the cell's metabolisms.

In other words, mitochondria convert nutrients from the cell into energy for cell functioning.

Mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) and the mitochondrial generation of oxidative stress have been found to initiate hepatic mitochondrial dysfunction caused by hepatocellular necrosis and apoptosis.

Where, the protein mitochondrial permeability transition pore is formed in the inner membrane of the mitochondria under certain pathological conditions, including stroke, leading to symptoms of lethargy, hypotonia, vomiting, poor suck, and seizures.

Hepatic mitochondrial dysfunction is a condition developed in chronic liver diseases including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), due to the breaking down of cellular homeostasis.

Although there are many risk factors associated with the liver mitochondrial respiratory functions that provide energy for the liver cell, the increase in age has been found to affect the liver mitochondria in the general population.

Dr. Yen TC, the lead scientists according to the respiratory control ratio (RCR), and ADP/O ratio were measured for 35 Chinese subjects of 31 to 76 years old.said, "a significant negative correlation between age and respiratory control and ADP/O ratios tested. Moreover, the respiratory control and ADP/O ratios decreased with the increase of age".

The doctor continued, " a substantial fall in mitochondrial oxidative capacity in the aging liver may be an important contributor to the aging process".

In other words, the increase in an age which causes the reduced function of hepatic mitochondria may lead to an increased risk of hepatic mitochondrial dysfunction and the onset of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

Bilberry is a species of low-growing shrubs in the genus Vaccinium, belonging to the family Ericaceae, native to Northern Europe.

The plant has been used as herbs in traditional medicine for the treatment of acute and chronic diarrhea, gastritis, gastric ulcer, and duodenal ulcer, enterocolitis, ulcerative colitis, anemia, cystitis, kidney disease, and psoriasis, diabetes, etc.

Scientists on finding a natural compound for the treatment of hepatic mitochondrial dysfunction with no side effects examined the effects of anthocyanins found abundantly in bilberry against nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

The study included selected mice-induced NASH by a methionine-choline-deficient (MCD) diet.

During the experiment, treatment with anthocyanins not only alleviated inflammation, oxidative stress, steatosis, and even fibrosis but also improved depletion of mitochondrial content.

Futhermore, the damage of mitochondrial biogenesis and electron transfer chain in the liver of mice fed the MCD diet also showed a significant improvement.

In other words, anthocyanins restored and protected the hepatic mitochondrial content induced dysfunction in the initiation of NASH.

The efficacy of anthocyanins treatment against hepatic mitochondrial dysfunction was attributed to the activation of enzymes associated with the prevention of hepatic fatty acid oxidation and protein involved mitochondrial biogenesis and energy metabolism.

The results suggested that anthocyanins protect the hepatic mitochondrial content and integrity against the onset of NASH.

Dr. Tang X, the lead scientist said, "These data provide evidence that anthocyanins possess significant protective effects against NASH and mitochondrial defects in response to an MCD diet".

Taken altogether, bilberry processed abundantly bioactive compound anthocyanin may be considered a functioning remedy for the prevention of liver mitochondrial dysfunction, pending to the validation of larger sample size and multicenter human study.

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Author Biography
Kyle J. Norton (Scholar, Master of Nutrition, All right reserved)
Health article writer and researcher; Over 10.000 articles and research papers have been written and published online, including worldwide health, ezine articles, article base, health blogs, self-growth, best before it's news, the karate GB daily, etc.,.
Named TOP 50 MEDICAL ESSAYS FOR ARTISTS & AUTHORS TO READ by Disilgold.com Named 50 of the best health Tweeters Canada - Huffington Post
Nominated for shorty award over last 4 years
Some articles have been used as references in medical research, such as international journal Pharma and Bioscience, ISSN 0975-6299.

References
(1) Purified anthocyanins from bilberry and black currant attenuate hepaticmitochondrial dysfunction and steatohepatitis in mice with methionine and choline deficiency by Tang X1, Shen T, Jiang X, Xia M, Sun X, Guo H, Ling W. (PubMed)
(2) Liver mitochondrial respiratory functions decline with age by Yen TC1, Chen YS, King KL, Yeh SH, Wei YH. (PubMed)