Is Maqui Berry Good for Dry Eyes?

Dayna Dye

Maqui (Aristotelia chilensis) is a darkly pigmented Chilean berry that is showing promise in helping to relieve dry eyes.

Maqui and other berries have been harvested by the native populations of southern Chile and Argentina for more than 14,000 years and is currently known as a “super-fruit.”^1,2 The berries contain an abundance of beneficial plant compounds known as anthocyanins and flavonols, as well as the phenol antioxidant ellagic acid.³

A recent review of the berry’s potential benefits lists:

• Protection against light-induced damage of photoreceptor cells
• Inhibition of the enzymes alpha-glucosidase and pancreatic lipase (which digest starch and fat)
• Anti-diabetic effects
• Anti-inflammatory effects
• Analgesic effects
• Protection against atherosclerosis
• Promotion …read more