Vaccinium vitis-idaea
Lingonberry
Vaccinium vitis-idaea, commonly known as lingonberry or cowberry, is a hardy perennial shrub native to northern forests. Renowned for its antioxidant properties, these small, tart red berries are rich in vitamins and polyphenols. Traditionally used in folk medicine, they offer potent anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits for holistic wellness.
- Scientific name: Vaccinium vitis-idaea
- Family: Ericaceae
- Native range: Europe
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae and order Ericales, it is a member of the Ericaceae family. Specifically, it is identified by the genus Vaccinium.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Ericales | WCVP |
| Family | Ericaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Vaccinium | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, scientifically known as Vaccinium vitis-idaea, is recognized by various common names across different languages and regions. In Bengali, it is referred to as Rout Molbier, while in Chinese, it is known by the name 越橘 across several linguistic variants, including simplified Chinese (zh-hans), traditional Chinese (zh-hant), the Cantonese variant used in Hong Kong (zh-hk), and the standard mainland Chinese form (zh-cn).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| lb | Rout Molbier | Wikidata |
| zh-hans | 越橘 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 越橘 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 越橘 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 越橘 | Wikidata |
| zh-sg | 越橘 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 越橘 | Wikidata |
| pl | borówka brusznica | Wikidata |
| ik | Kimmigñaq | Wikidata |
| bs | brusnica | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant is widely distributed across several regions in Northern Europe. It can be found growing naturally within the territories of Denmark and Finland. Its range also extends to the island of Iceland and the Faroe Islands, known as Føroyar. Additionally, the species is present throughout the landscape of Great Britain. These locations highlight its preference for the specific environmental conditions found in northern latitudes.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | Denmark | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Finland | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Føroyar | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Great Britain | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Iceland | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Ireland | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Norway | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Sweden | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Austria | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Belgium | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, commonly known as highbush blueberry, is highly valued for its medicinal and nutritional properties, particularly through the consumption of its berries. These small, antioxidant-rich berries are the primary part of the plant used in various health supplements and natural remedies. Often harvested at peak ripeness, the berries are utilized to combat oxidative stress and support overall wellness due to their dense concentration of bioactive compounds.- Total parts
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 3
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| berries | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Vaccinium vitis-idaea has 21 reported phytochemicals identified across 22 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include polyphenols, H2O2, Quercetin aglycone, arbutin, ascorbic acid.
- Total chemicals
- 21
- Scientific sources
- 22
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| polyphenols | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| H2O2 | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Quercetin aglycone | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| arbutin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ascorbic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| beta-carotene | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| catechin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cyanidin-3-O-glucoside | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| epicatechin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| fructose | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Vaccinium vitis-idaea has 3 reported activities identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antidiabetic, Antimicrobial.
- Total activities
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 4
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antioxidant | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antidiabetic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antimicrobial | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Vaccinium vitis-idaea has 12 reported medicinal uses identified across 13 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include urinary tract infections, Helicobacter pylori, aging, diabetic complications, hepatic steatosis.
- Total uses
- 12
- Scientific sources
- 13
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| urinary tract infections | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Helicobacter pylori | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| aging | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| diabetic complications | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hepatic steatosis | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| insulin resistance | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| lifespan | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| metabolic diseases | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| neurodegenerative diseases | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| tick-borne encephalitis virus | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |