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Common name: Bearberry, Foxberry, and Kinnikinic
Genus: Arctostaphylos
Species: uva-ursi
The name bearberry derives from the edible fruit said to be greatly enjoyed by bears. The fruit, also called bearberries, are edible and sometimes gathered for food. The leaves of the plant are used in herbal medicine.
Arctostaphylos uva ursi, or Arbutus uva ursi
Arberry, Bearberry, Bear's-grape, Crowberry, Foxberry, Hog Cranberry, Kinnikinnick, Mealberry, Mountain Box, Mountain Cranberry, Red Bearberry, Sagackhomi, Sandberry, Upland Cranberry, Uva Urs
The uva ursi herb, which is more commonly known as the bearberry is a small and evergreen shrub belonging to the plant order: Ericacea. Bearberry is found growing mostly in sandy and gravel rich as well as dry soils, large populations can be found in many parts of continental Europe and in some areas along the northern regions of the continental U.S. - the plant grows well in dry soils and grows at an optimal rate in soils composed mostly of sand and gravel. Morphologically, the shrub can be distinguished by the presence of a long and solitary fibrous main root that radiates out several buried and prostrate stems in different directions, out of these prostrate roots, arise the main aerial branching stems of the plant. These aerial stems can often reach four to six inches when they are fully grown. The bearberry has a slightly reddish or brown color bark on the stem. The small leaves of the bearberry are obovate to spatulate in shape and are rounded at the apex, they reach a length of about half an inch to one inch, and the leaves are also characterized by being slightly rolled down at the edges and also by the leathery feel. Bearberry leaves are ideally picked during the fall season.
Most of the herbal teas used and marketed in Europe for the herbal treatment of various kidney and urinary bladder disorders contain the bearberry as an active and essential ingredient. These herbal teas are extensively used in many places in Europe for the treatment of renal and bladder problems. When used correctly in different herbal preparations, the bearberry herb can prove to be an effective diuretic and may be used as a general urinary antiseptic. Self-treatment using the herb following self-examination of the disorder, depends on the herbal skills of the affected individual-ideally, an herbalist should be consulted even if a patient plans to eventually self-administer the herb for the treatment of simple urinary disorders.
PARTS USED
Leaves, berries.
Bearberry is a low growing evergreen. It has a stem that rises 2-8" off the ground and is covered in a thick bark and fine silky hairs. On the stem are many oval-shaped, leathery leaves that are _" to 1" long. The flowers have five petals and are pale pink or white. The petals are only _" long and are curled around the narrow center. They bloom anywhere between March and June. The fruit is a red berry 3/8" in diameter. Bearberry gets its name because bears like to feast on these berries.
Bearberry is commonly found in dry, non-nutrient soils such as sand, soils
on rock outcrops and shallow soils. This plant ranges from northern California to Alaska, east from Oregon and Washington to the mountains of west Montana, and from there, south to New Mexico. Other areas of the world include Greenland, Iceland, and northern Eurasia. Bearberry is plentiful in the wild.
Since bearberry is a low growing plant it can stay out of the wind chill. It's fine silky hairs also help to keep it warm. Leathery leaves are also an adaptation to the cold of the tundra.
Bearberry is a very useful plant. All parts of it can be used in some way. The fruit can be eaten and cooked with other foods. The roots can be made into a tea that can treat a constant cough or slow down menstrual bleeding. A tea from the stem is used to prevent miscarriage and to speed up a women's recovery after childbirth. The leaves can be added to tobacco or used as a substitute for it. A tea made from the leaves can be drunk to treat kidney or bladder problems.
USES
The ability of the bearberry to effectively reduce the accumulated levels of uric acid in the body is truly a notable and beneficial power - this beneficial effect of the herb is used in the treatment of many patients affected by urinary system dysfunction leading to the retention of uric acid in the body, and in treating disorders like gout. Inflammation in the urinary bladder is also alleviated by the herbal remedies made from the bearberry; the remedy also alleviates the extreme pain affecting the person as a result of stone formation in the kidney or the urinary bladder. The remedial bearberry tea can be prepared in a two step processes, first, carefully soak a handful of freshly plucked leaves in some brandy, these leaves must be allowed to stay and infuse into the brandy and kept covered for a week, then the actual tea can be prepared by boiling a tbsp. of fresh chopped or cut bearberry leaves in a cup of water, these leaves can be simmered for twenty minutes over a stove. When the tea has been boiled and cooled, add a teaspoon of the brandy soaked bearberry infusion to each cup of tea and drink it lukewarm as and when needed.
All types of common kidney disorders can be very effectively treated using herbal remedies made from the bearberry or the manzanita herb. The leaves and the berries can be used in the preparation of a herbal tea which can effectively help in the treatment of nephritis - which is the inflammation of the kidneys, this tea is also useful in the treatment of renal calculi – which are kidney stones. The herbal tea has also been used in the successful long term treatment of urethritis or inflammation of the urethra in women and in the treatment of cystitis, which is an uncomfortable inflammation affecting the urinary bladder of patients. Such physical disorders seem to be affected greatly by the strong astringent action of the tannin acid present in the berries and the leaves used in the tea - the powerful astringent action of the herbal tea enables the rapid treatment and alleviation of inflammation in internal organs of the urinogenital system. Boil about a quart of water to prepare the general purpose bearberry herbal tea. Once the water has started to boil, three tablespoons of the dried and chopped leaves and berries of the bearberry can be added. Gently boil the herbs on low heat and let the water simmer for about five minutes continuously keeping the pot covered with a lid. Once this has been done, the stove can be turned off and the herbal brew must be allowed to steep into the water for thirty minutes. The prepared herbal tea must be drunk lukewarm and it can be strained a cup at a time, the herbal tea must be drunk on an empty stomach for maximum benefit.
Diseases affecting the kidneys and the urinary bladder are usually treated using the bearberry in the traditional folk medicine of many different European cultures, the bearberry herb has a very effective and strong diuretic action, at the same time it is also a good astringent - both qualities are desirable for the treatment of urinary or renal dysfunction in patients. The herb is believed to bring about a very effective antiseptic action on the urinary passages and it is also believed to help in toning the urinogenital system at the same time. Inflammatory disorders of the urinary tract such as cystitis and urethritis are believed to be treatable due to this strong antiseptic and toning effect of the herb. The principal antiseptic and astringent qualities possessed by the bearberry is due to the presence of an organic compound called hydroquinone in the plant, this compound is a chemical hydrolysis product of about five to twelve percent of a main precursor chemical compound called phenolic glycoside arbutin, which is present in the herb. The diuretic action evident in the plant is due to the combined effects of other chemical compounds such as the ursolic acid, which is a triterpene derivative, and a flavonoid pigment compound called isoquercitrin - these compounds together account for the strong diuretic action displayed by the herb. Large amounts of organic compounds called tannins are also present in the bearberry, these compounds may make up to fifteen to twenty percent of the plant extract and as these compounds tend to disturb the digestive process, they are regarded to be undesirable chemical constituents during treatment. The extraction process has to be designed in a particular way to offset the possibility of high tannin content, and for this reason, hot water should not be used to extract the herbal essence from the bearberry leaves - hot water is normally used in the preparation of the herbal tea, resulting in the extraction of high amounts of tannin from the leaves. To avoid this high tannin content tea, the leaves must be soaked in cold water and allowed to stand for twelve to twenty four hours prior to being boiled to make the herbal tea. As a result of this precautionary step, the total tannin content of the boiled beverage can be reduced drastically and the chances of a disrupted digestion can be avoided.
Medicinal uses
Arctostaphylos alpina
Arctostaphylos uva-ursiThe plant contains arbutin, methylarbutin, a bitter principle, ursolic acid, tannic acid, gallic acid, some essential oil and resin, hydroquinones (mainly arbutin, up to 17%), tannins (up to 15%), phenolic glycosides and flavonoids.
The leaves are picked any time during the summer and dried for use in infusions, liquid extracts, medicinal tea bags and tablets. The plant has the following claimed properties: anti-lithic, aromatic, astringent, disinfectant, diuretic, lithontripic, sedative (renal), stimulant (mild), tonic, urinary antiseptic. It has been used to treat arthritis, back pain (lower), bed wetting, bile problems, bladder infections, bloating, bright's disease, bronchitis, cararrh of the bladder, cystitis, diabetes (by removing excessive sugar from the blood), diarrhea, fevers, fluid retention, gallstones, gonorrhea, headache (smoked), haemorrhoids, indigestion, kidney stones, kidney infections, liver problems, lung congestion, excessive menstruation, nephritis, obesity, pancreatitis, prostate gland weakness, rheumatism, chronic urethritis, vaginal discharge, vaginal diseases, and water retention[citation needed].
It is claimed to strengthen the heart muscle and urinary tract, return the womb to its normal size after childbirth, and prevents uteral infection. It is also claimed to be a powerful tonic for the sphincter muscle of the bladder so it helps with bladder control problems. It has a strong bacteriostatic action against Staphylococci and E. coli. The leaves have strong astringent properties.
Bearberry is relatively safe, although large doses may cause nausea, green urine, bluish-grey skin, vomiting, fever, chills, severe back pain, ringing in the ears (some people can withstand up to 20g and others show signs of poisoning after just 1g); take no more than 7–10 days at a time.
It should not be used by people who are pregnant, breast feeding, nor in the treatment of children (under 12) and patients with kidney disease. Drug interactions have been recorded with diuretics, as well as drugs that make the urine acidic (such as ascorbic acid and Urex).
HABITAT AND CULTIVATION
Most regions in the northern atmospheres up to the Arctic borderlands have naturalized populations of the plant, though the bearberry shrub was originally native to continental Europe. Grasslands as well as heath lands in the northern hemisphere as well as shady undergrowths and damp conditions are preferred by the plant. Autumn is the season for the harvesting bearberry leaves in most areas where the plant is used in herbal medicine. During the autumn, the berries are also sometimes harvested along with the other parts of the plant, and though they are neither tasty nor particularly palatable, these berries are still used as minor fruits by people in some places.
RESEARCH
The bactericidal effects possessed by the bearberry extracts have been experimentally verified under laboratory conditions. The researchers came to the conclusion that the bactericidal action of the herb is much more effective if the urine is alkaline - the advice for users based on these clinical results is that the bearberry plant must be used in conjunction with a mainly vegetable-based diet - this increases the total alkalinity of the urine and boosts the efficiency of the bearberry remedy.
CONSTITUENTS
Bearberry contains glycosides, including arbutin and ericolin. 6% tannin, flavonoids and resin.
HOW MUCH TO TAKE
Dosage of the bearberry based herbal preparations differ from one type of remedy to another, the normal dosage of the alcohol-based bearberry tinctures, for most people is five ml of the tincture taken thrice every day during the treatment period. Dosage of the 250-500 mg herbal capsules or herbal tablets - each of which have twenty percent arbutin - thrice a day is also the normal dose for most people. The continuous and regular dosage regimen of the uva ursi should never exceed fourteen days at a stretch for any person using the regimen. For optimal benefits, the person taking bearberry remedies must also drink a glass of water mixed with about six to eight grams of sodium bicarbonate or baking soda - this supplement will enable the production of alkaline urine during the treatment period and help increase the effectiveness of the uva ursi remedy. Baking soda must never be used by people having high blood pressure problems, and the fourteen day limit also applies to drinking the baking soda. A nutritionally oriented doctor must be consulted at all events before starting on a course of bearberry, and the bearberry must not be used to treat an infection without the initial go ahead given by a professional as side effects may arise.
Recipies
ANTISEPTIC CURE FOR THE LOWER ABDOMEN
3 oz (l0 g) bearberry leaves
4 cups (1 liter) water
1 t (5 g) sodium bicarbonate
Lightly chop the bearberry leaves and soak for 12 hours in a large bowl of cold water. Then boil the leaves in a saucepan for 3 minutes. Pour this mixture into the bowl and infuse until the liquid is drinkable. Add the sodium bicarbonate and shake. Drink 1 cup (250 ml) at a time, warm or cold, several times during the day. Repeat over 10 consecutive days. This bitter herbal tea has a powerful effect on small kidney stones, purulent cystitis, gout, hypotrophy of the prostate and bacterial venereal infections such as blennorrhagia.
Note: Bearberry is the color of greenish urine because of the concentrated tannins.
Combinations : Uva Ursi may be combined with Couchgrass and Yarrow for infections of the urinary tract.
Preparations & Dosage : Infusion: pour a cup of boiling water onto l-2 teaspoonfuls of the dried leaves and let infuse for l0-l5 minutes. This should be drunk three times a day. Tincture: take 2-4ml of the tincture three times a day.
History and folklore
Common Bearberry from Thomé Flora von Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz 1885Bearberry was first documented in The Physicians of Myddfai, a 13th century Welsh herbal, it was also described by Clusius in 1601, and recommended for medicinal use in 1763 by Gerhard and others. Often called uva-ursi, from the Latin uva, "grape, berry of the vine", ursi, "bear", i.e. "bear's grape". It first appeared in the London Pharmacopoeia in 1788, though it probably was in use long before.
In Strathnairn, Scotland there is a hill, known as Brin Mains, but which is known in Scottish Gaelic as "Cnoc nan Cnàimhseag" which means "The hill of the Bearberries".
Marco Polo reported in 13th century that the Chinese were using it as a diuretic, to treat kidney and urinary problems. Bearberry leaves are used medicinally in Poland and other countries.[citation needed]
Native Americans used it with tobacco and other herbs in religious ceremonies; used as a smudge (type of incense) or smoked in a sacred pipe, it carried the smoker's prayers to the Great Spirit. When mixed with tobacco, it was referred to as Kinnikinnick, from an Algonquian (probably Delaware) word for "mixture". Native Americans also used Bearberry tea to treat inflammation of the urinary tract, urethritis, kidney stones, and cystitis. The Cheyenne used the tea to treat back sprains. Some Native American tribes powdered the leaves and applied them to sores. Other tribes drank it to treat venereal diseases. The berries were also made into a tea that was used to ward off obesity. Early European settlers in the Americas used the leaves taken internally as an astringent to treat nephritis, kidney stones and other diseases of the urinary system.
SIDE EFFECTS AND CAUTIONS
The bearberry has been known to induce side effects such as mild nausea in some individuals. The possibility of the deleterious effects from excessive accumulation of the compound hydroquinone exists and for this reason, the continuous and long term use of bearberry is not advised.
The effectiveness of the antiseptic action displayed by the compound arbutin - or more correctly its derivative hydroquinone - over the urinary system is confirmed in many studies, however, this action seems to be effective only when the urine produced is alkaline and then only when the plant based remedy is taken at high doses throughout the treatment period. Foods such as sauerkraut, the vitamin C, and fruits or fruit juices and all similar products are rich in acids - these have to be carefully avoided during the treatment process in order to maintain the effectiveness of the bearberry remedy. The compound hydroquinone is moreover toxic when taken repeatedly in large doses, consumers need to be careful about using the bearberry remedy for too long, as the toxic side effects can include uncomfortable tinnitus or ringing in the ears, sudden convulsion and physical collapse as well as bouts of vomiting. At the same time, the safety record of the herbal remedy is good and moreover, the bearberry is usually taken at recommended dosages of a gram of extract, three to six times every day, for an average dosage of about 400 to 800 mg of the compound arbutin daily, and side effects have not been reported in healthy individuals even when the doses were as high as 20 grams - thus the plant seems to be quite safe compared to other herbal remedies. Lactating women, women in a term of pregnancy and children must not be given the bearberry for any reason, as in these individuals, the chances of side effects are higher than average. Whenever the side effects appear in a patient, medical advise must be sought if the physical symptoms last longer then two weeks, or if the intensity of the symptoms worsen during the treatment process.
More Herbal Facts about Bearberry
Arctostaphylos uva ursi, or Arbutus uva ursi
Arberry, Bearberry, Bear's-grape, Crowberry, Foxberry, Hog Cranberry, Kinnikinnick, Mealberry, Mountain Box, Mountain Cranberry, Red Bearberry, Sagackhomi, Sandberry, Upland Cranberry, Uva Urs
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Ericaceae
Names : Uva Ursi
Habitat : Britain, Central and Northern Europe, North America.
Collection : The evergreen leaves may be collected throughout the year, but preferably in spring and summer.
Part Used : The leaves.
Constituents :
Hydroquinones; mainly arbutin (hydroquinone[[beta]]-glucoside) and methylarbutin
Iridoids, monotropein
Flavonoids, quercitrin, isoquercitrin, myricacitrin and others
Miscellaneous; tannins, volatile oil, ursolic, malic and gallic acids.
Actions : Diuretic, astringent, anti-microbial, demulcent.
Indications : Uva Ursi has a specific antiseptic and astringent effect upon the membranes of the urinary system. It will generally soothe, tone and strengthen them. It is specifically used where there is gravel or ulceration in the kidney or bladder. It may be used in the treatment of infections such aspyelitis and cystitis or as part of a holistic approach to more chronic kidney problems. It has a useful role to play in the treatment of gravel or a calculus in the kidney. With its high astringency it is used in some forms of bedwetting. As a douche it may be helpful in vaginal ulceration and infection.
Ellingwood gives the following specific symptomatolgy: "Its direct influence is upon relaxed conditions of the bladder walls, to which it imparts tone and induces normal contraction. It restrains excessive mucous discharges. "He recommends for these indications: " ulceration of the bladder, cystitis, pyelitis, pyelonephritis, gonorrhea."
Combinations : Uva Ursi may be combined with Couchgrass and Yarrow for infections of the urinary tract.
Preparations & Dosage : Infusion: pour a cup of boiling water onto l-2 teaspoonfuls of the dried leaves and let infuse for l0-l5 minutes. This should be drunk three times a day. Tincture: take 2-4ml of the tincture three times a day.
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Alpine Bearberry - A. alpina (L.) Spreng (syn. Arctous alpinus (L.) Niedenzu). A procumbent shrub 10-30 cm high. Leaves not winter green, but dead leaves persist on stems for several years. Berries dark purple to black. Distribution: circumpolar, at high latitudes, from Scotland east across Scandinavia, Russia, Alaska, Canada and Greenland; southern limits in Europe in the Pyrenees and the Alps, in Asia to the Altay Mountains, and in North America to British Columbia in the west, and Maine and New Hampshire in the United States in the east.
Red Bearberry - A. rubra (Rehd. & Wilson) Fernald (syn. Arctous rubra (Rehder and E.H. Wilson) Nakai; Arctous alpinus var. ruber Rehd. and Wilson). A procumbent shrub 10-30 cm high. Leaves deciduous, falling in autumn to leave bare stems. Berries red. Distribution: in the mountains of Sichuan, southwestern China north and east to eastern Siberia, Alaska and northern Canada east to northern Quebec.
Common Bearberry - A. uva-ursi (L.) Spreng.
Alternate Names
kinnikinnick
Uses
Bearberry serves a dual role on sandy soils, as both a beautification plant as well as a critical area stabilizer. The thick, prostrate, vegetative mat and evergreen character are what make bearberry a very popular ground cover. It is often planted around home sites, sand dunes, sandy banks, and commercial sites. The fruit it produces is eaten by a few species of songbirds and game animals. Deer will sometimes browse the foliage lightly.
Status
Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural Resources for this plant’s current status (e.g. threatened or endangered species, state noxious status, and wetland indicator values).
Description
Pure stands of bearberry can be extremely dense, with heights rarely taller than 6 inches. Erect branching twigs emerge from long flexible prostrate stems, which are produced by single roots. The trailing stems will layer, sending out small roots periodically. The finely textured velvety branches are initially white to pale green, becoming smooth and red-brown with maturity. The small solitary three scaled buds are dark brown.
The simple leaves of this broadleaf evergreen are alternately arranged on branches. Each leaf is held by a twisted leaf stalk, vertically. The leathery dark green leaves are an inch long and have rounded tips tapering back to the base. In fall, the leaves begin changing from a dark green to a reddish-green to purple.
Terminal clusters of small urn-shaped flowers bloom from May to June. The perfect flowers are white to pink, and bear round, fleshy or mealy, bright red to pink fruits called drupes. This smooth, glossy skinned fruit will range from 1/4 to 1/2 inch in diameter. The fruit will persist on the plant into early winter. Each drupe contains 1 to 5 hard seeds, which need to be scarified and stratified prior to germination to reduce the seed coat and break embryo dormancy. There is an average of 40,900 cleaned seeds per pound.
Adaptation and Distribution
Bearberry’s native range is from Labrador to Alaska, south to Virginia, Illinois, Nebraska, and in the mountains from New Mexico north through California to Alaska. This long-lived, low growing shrub is very cold tolerant. This plant prefers coarse well to excessively drained soils of forests, sand dunes, bald or barren areas. It does not tolerate moist or off-drained sites. Although bearberry is often found growing in the open on sand dunes, it grows well under partial shade of forest canopies.
Establishment
Bearberry can be propagated from seeds, softwood cuttings or pre-rooted stem cuttings. It is difficult to root this plant from bare cuttings in the greenhouse. Scarified seed sown in early summer will improve germination the following spring, but this technique is not as reliable as cuttings. Softwood cuttings should be harvested in late summer, and rooted stem cuttings are most successful when harvested during the dormant season. Successfully grown seedlings or cuttings should be handled carefully in containers; bare root plantings are rarely effective.
Management
This shrub species requires very little maintenance once it has been established. Annual spring applications of 10-10-10 will increase the growth rate of bearberry, but will also increase weed growth. Weed growth must be controlled to sustain healthy stands of bearberry.
Cultivars, Improved, and Selected Materials (and area of origin)
There are no known varieties of bearberry available; local or regional selections are available from commercial nurseries.
Prepared By & Species Coordinator:
- Introduction and disclaimers
The information contained on these pages has been obtained from a number of different sources.
As with all materials and information, use common sense. I have only collected this information. I claim no
responsibility for anything that happens because of information used from this collected information.
I cannot be held responsible for any actions or outcome of use of these folk remedies, taken by persons using this inforation as reference. Please be aware that some of these remedies may be toxic or cause an allergic reaction if taken in incorrect doses/internally. In all cases before resorting to use of the herbs listed, please consult a medical or holistic practioner.
- Legal Stuff:
Information provided is not designed to diagnose, prescribe, or treat any illness, or injury and is provided for informational purposes only. Always consult a medical doctor, or other alternative medical practitioner when suffering from any disease, illness, or injury, or before attempting a traditional or folk remedy. Keep all products away from children. As with any natural product, they can be toxic if misused.
photo: Herbal Garden (socialkat)
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