Botanical Index No. 91

Bearberry

arctostaphylos uva-ursi

Medicinal Actions

Algicide, Antibacterial, Antiedemic, Antihepatosis, Antiinflammatory, Antiseptic, Antitussive, Antityrosinase, Aquaretic, Astringent, Candidicide, Cytotoxic, Depurative, Diuretic, Emetic, Emmenagogue, Fungicide, Intoxicant, Laxative, Litholytic, Molluscicide, Narcotic, Nephroprotective, Tonic, Urinary Antiseptic

Primary Conditions Treated

Bitter Hemostat Phospholipase-A2-Inhibitor Vulnerary Acne Backache Bacteria Bleeding Blennorrhea Boil Bronchosis Burn Cancer Candida Canker Catarrh Childbirth Cholecystosis Cold Conjunctivosis Constipation Cough Cystosis Dandruff Dermatosis Diabetes Diarrhea Dropsy Dysentery Dysmenorrhea Dysuria Enuresis Fever Fracture Fungus Gallstone Gingivosis Gleet Gonorrhea Gout Hematuria Hemorrhoid Hepatosis Hyperpigmentation Incontinence Infection Inflammation Itch Kidney Stone Leukorrhea Lithuria Menorrhagia Miscarriage Mycosis Nephrosis Obesity Ophthalmia Otosis Pain Pancreatosis Pneumonia Prostatosis Pyelitis Pyelonephrosis Rheumatism Splenosis Sprain Stone Strangury sentery Streptococcus Swelling Thirst Tuberculosis Ulcer Urethrosis Uterosis UTI Water retention VD Yeast

General Dosage

10 g leaf, take only a few days; 10 g dry leaf in 1 quart cold water; 12 g dry leaf/day; 3–6 g dry leaf; 4.5 g dry leaf/22 ml alcohol/23 ml water; 1.5–4 g leaf, or in tea, 3 ×/day; 2–4 tbsp fresh leaf; 3 g herb/150 ml water 1–4 ×/day; 1.5–4 ml liquid extract 3 ×/day; 1–4 ml concentrated BPC infusion; 15–30 ml BPC fresh infusion; 5 ml tincture 3 ×/day; 10–17 ml tincture; 4–8 ml fluid extract; 2–4 ml liquid leaf extract; 2–4 ml concentrated leaf infusion; 1–3 capsules 3 ×/day; 250–500 mg StX.

Safety & Contraindications

Class 2b, 2d. Contraindicated in kidney disorders, irritated digestive conditions, acidic urine; not for prolonged used. Hepatosis, nausea, nephrosis, stomachache, vomiting. Use no more than 1 week, unless otherwise directed by physician. Not recommended for children, lactating, pregnant, or nephritic patients. Canadians discourage bearberry as a nonmedicinal ingredient for oral use. Do not take other urine acidifiers, which could lessen antisepsis. One gram of the cytotoxic hydroquinone, equivalent to 6–20 g plant material, totally extracted has caused collapse, convulsions, cyanosis, delirium, nausea, shortness of breath, tinnitus, and vomiting. Five grams has proved fatal. Because of high tannin content, prolonged use of uva-ursi may cause chronic liver impairment. Since large doses are reportedly oxytocic, and in view of hydroquinone’s toxicity, “the use of uva-ursi during pregnancy and lactation is best avoided,” but in the last paragraph on page 259, the hydroquinone concentrations “provided by ingestion of therapeutic doses of uva-ursi are not thought to represent a risk to human health”.

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