Anticancer Effects of Lingonberry and Bilberry on Digestive Tract Cancers

doi:10.3390/antiox10060850

Review

. 2021 May 26;10(6):850.

doi: 10.3390/antiox10060850.

Anticancer Effects of Lingonberry and Bilberry on Digestive Tract Cancers

Tuulia Onali^{1

2

3}, Anne Kivimäki^{1

2}, Matti Mauramo⁴, Tuula Salo^{1

3

5

6}, Riitta Korpela^{2

7}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.
² Medical Nutrition Physiology, Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.
³ Translational Immunology Research Program (TRIMM), University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.
⁴ Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.
⁵ Cancer and Translational Medicine Research Unit, University of Oulu, 90014 Oulu, Finland.
⁶ Medical Research Centre, Oulu University Hospital, 90014 Oulu, Finland.
⁷ Human Microbiome Research Program, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.

PMID: 34073356
PMCID: PMC8228488
DOI: 10.3390/antiox10060850

Review

Anticancer Effects of Lingonberry and Bilberry on Digestive Tract Cancers

Tuulia Onali et al. Antioxidants (Basel). 2021.

. 2021 May 26;10(6):850.

doi: 10.3390/antiox10060850.

Authors

Tuulia Onali^{1

2

3}, Anne Kivimäki^{1

2}, Matti Mauramo⁴, Tuula Salo^{1

3

5

6}, Riitta Korpela^{2

7}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.
² Medical Nutrition Physiology, Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.
³ Translational Immunology Research Program (TRIMM), University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.
⁴ Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.
⁵ Cancer and Translational Medicine Research Unit, University of Oulu, 90014 Oulu, Finland.
⁶ Medical Research Centre, Oulu University Hospital, 90014 Oulu, Finland.
⁷ Human Microbiome Research Program, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.

PMID: 34073356
PMCID: PMC8228488
DOI: 10.3390/antiox10060850

Abstract

Wild berries are part of traditional Nordic diets and are a rich source of phytochemicals, such as polyphenols. Various berry treatments have shown to interfere with cancer progression in vitro and in vivo. Here, we systematically reviewed the anticancer effects of two Nordic wild berries of the Vaccinium genus, lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) and bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus), on digestive tract cancers. The review was conducted according to the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Searches included four databases: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and CAB abstracts. Publications not written in English, case-reports, reviews, and conference abstracts were excluded. Moreover, studies with only indirect markers of cancer risk or studies with single compounds not derived from lingonberry or bilberry were not included. Meta-analysis was not performed. The majority (21/26) of studies investigated bilberry and colorectal cancer. Experimental studies on colorectal cancer indicated that bilberry inhibited intestinal tumor formation and cancer cell growth. One uncontrolled pilot human study supported the inhibitory potential of bilberry on colorectal cancer cell proliferation. Data from all 10 lingonberry studies suggests potent inhibition of cancer cell growth and tumor formation. In conclusion, in vitro and animal models support the antiproliferative and antitumor effects of various bilberry and lingonberry preparations on digestive tract cancers.

Keywords: anthocyanin; bilberry; colorectal cancer; invasion; lingonberry; migration; oral cancer; phytochemical; polyphenol; proanthocyanidin; proliferation; tumorigenesis.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

**Figure 1**
Flow chart of the systematic search and selection process.

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References

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[1] Aune D., Giovannucci E., Boffetta P., Fadnes L.T., Keum N., Norat T., Greenwood D.C., Riboli E., Vatten L.J., Tonstad S. Fruit and vegetable intake and the risk of cardiovascular disease, total cancer and all-cause mortality-a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies. Int. J. Epidemiol. 2017;46:1029–1056. doi: 10.1093/ije/dyw319. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[2] Aune D., Giovannucci E., Boffetta P., Fadnes L.T., Keum N., Norat T., Greenwood D.C., Riboli E., Vatten L.J., Tonstad S. Fruit and vegetable intake and the risk of cardiovascular disease, total cancer and all-cause mortality-a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies. Int. J. Epidemiol. 2017;46:1029–1056. doi: 10.1093/ije/dyw319. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[3] Cirmi S., Navarra M., Woodside J.V., Cantwell M.M. Citrus fruits intake and oral cancer risk: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Pharmacol. Res. 2018;133:187–194. doi: 10.1016/j.phrs.2018.05.008. - DOI - PubMed

[4] Cirmi S., Navarra M., Woodside J.V., Cantwell M.M. Citrus fruits intake and oral cancer risk: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Pharmacol. Res. 2018;133:187–194. doi: 10.1016/j.phrs.2018.05.008. - DOI - PubMed

[5] Ramos S. Cancer chemoprevention and chemotherapy: Dietary polyphenols and signalling pathways. Mol. Nutr. Food Res. 2008;52:507–526. doi: 10.1002/mnfr.200700326. - DOI - PubMed

[6] Ramos S. Cancer chemoprevention and chemotherapy: Dietary polyphenols and signalling pathways. Mol. Nutr. Food Res. 2008;52:507–526. doi: 10.1002/mnfr.200700326. - DOI - PubMed

[7] Crozier A., Jaganath I.B., Clifford M.N. Dietary phenolics: Chemistry, bioavailability and effects on health. Nat. Prod. Rep. 2009;26:1001–1043. doi: 10.1039/b802662a. - DOI - PubMed

[8] Crozier A., Jaganath I.B., Clifford M.N. Dietary phenolics: Chemistry, bioavailability and effects on health. Nat. Prod. Rep. 2009;26:1001–1043. doi: 10.1039/b802662a. - DOI - PubMed

[9] Pericleous M., Mandair D., Caplin M.E. Diet and supplements and their impact on colorectal cancer. J. Gastrointest. Oncol. 2013;4:409–423. doi: 10.3978/j.issn.2078-6891.2013.003. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[10] Pericleous M., Mandair D., Caplin M.E. Diet and supplements and their impact on colorectal cancer. J. Gastrointest. Oncol. 2013;4:409–423. doi: 10.3978/j.issn.2078-6891.2013.003. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

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Anticancer Effects of Lingonberry and Bilberry on Digestive Tract Cancers

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Anticancer Effects of Lingonberry and Bilberry on Digestive Tract Cancers

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Affiliations

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