Blackberry Plants' Effects & Uses

folke (64)in #blog • 7 years ago

The blackberry plant's fruit and leaves have been enjoyed since the time of the ancient Greeks who used them as food and to cure health disorders such as gout. Blackberry tea was also used by Native American tribes to treat toothache and by soldiers as a cure for dysentery during the American Civil War. Modern scientific studies are verifying that this small berry packs a powerful punch when it comes to promoting good health, due to the antioxidants it contains.

NUTRITION

A single blackberry fruit consists of several individual drupelets, each containing a core and one seed. Blackberries are very high in fiber and pectin and low in calories. In addition to being a good source of vitamins C, E, K and folic acid, they also contain manganese, protein, and essential omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. The purple color of the berries comes from antioxidants known as anthocyanins, although blackberry fruits and leaves also contain several other antioxidants.

ANTIMICROBIAL

Researchers in Italy used blackberry leaf extracts on Helicobacter pylori in vitro. H. pylori bacteria are linked to development of duodenal and gastric ulcers and stomach cancer. The results of the Italian study, published in the "International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents," found that the extracts were effective at killing one of two H. pylori strains tested.

ANTIOXIDANTS

Oxidative stress in the human body -- an imbalance between reactive chemical production and antioxidant defenses -- has been linked to the development of many chronic diseases. A study published in the "Journal of Science and Food and Agriculture" found that long-term use of the blackberry antioxidants anthocyanin and ellagitannin significantly enhanced antioxidant status in rats, reducing oxidative stress.

BRAIN BENEFITS

At the American Chemical Society meeting in August 2010, scientists reported that polyphenolic antioxidants in blackberries and other berries activate your brain's natural housekeeping activity, helping cells remove and recycle toxic proteins that accumulate as you age and interfere with memory and cognition. A study published in "Nutritional Neuroscience" also showed that aging rats fed blackberry extracts had more improvements in balance, coordination and memory than a group of control rats.

CANCER

A study published in "Nutrition and Cancer" by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health demonstrated that blackberry extracts inhibited DNA oxidative damage and cancer cell proliferation in a human lung cancer cell line. Blackberry extracts called cyanidin-3-glucoside also caused a significant reduction in the number and size of skin and lung tumors in research published in April 2006 in the "Journal of Biological Chemistry," and in esophageal cancer cells in a study published in "Nutrition and Cancer".

SKIN HEALTH

Blackberries can also help fight inflammation associated with skin disorders. When rats were treated with a topical blackberry-derived compound, it was shown to be as effective on inflammation as indomethacin, a potent nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, in research published in "Journal of Agricultural & Food Chemistry". Additionally, blackberries helped fight oxidative damage from ultraviolet radiation in a study reported in "Phytotherapy Research."