Summary
Medicinal plant used as a disinfectant of the urinary tract (eg against cystitis), it is generally found in infusion or capsule form.
names
Portuguese name: uva-ursi, uva-de-bear
Binomial name: Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
French name: Raisin d’ours , busserole English name: Bearberry German name: Bärentraubenblatt Italian name: uva ursina
Family
Ericaceae
Constituents
Arbutin and methyl-arbutin (transformed into hydroquinone) with antibacterial effect on alkaline urine, tannins.
parts used
Dry leaves
Effects
Urinary tract disinfectant, astringent (effects of tannins), antibacterial (effect of hydroquinone in particular)
Indications
Used against cystitis and urinary infections in general. Gallbladder stones . Diarrhea .
Heads up! This plant is effective when the urine is alkaline (basic), so take it for example with NaHCO3 or with a lacto-vegetarian diet.
Secundary effects
Nausea, allergy, stomach problems.
contraindications
Pregnancy. Infants.
Interactions
we do not know
Preparations
– Uva-ursi based capsule
– Tincture of uva-ursi (usual dosage: 5 ml, 3 times a day)
Where does uva ursi grow?
The uva ursi grows in various regions of the world. This plant is native to mountains, whether in the Alps or in other mountainous regions of the planet, in North America, Asia and even Central America. This plant grows well in acidic and rocky soils.
The uva ursi can grow well in the North, even at the level of the Arctic Circle.
In some regions like Germany, the plant is protected. Which means that it is not allowed to harvest it in the wild without authorization. It is possible to grow this plant in your garden.
The uva-ursi, which is a shrub, reaches a height of between 20 and 60 cm. Flowering in Europe occurs from March to July.
When to harvest uva ursi?
Ursi grape leaves are harvested in autumn.
Comments
– Before the arrival of antibiotics, uva-ursi was widely used to cure urinary infections. A few decades later, it is still used for this indication, especially as a complement to classic therapies (for example, antibiotics).
Efficacy:
A special edition of the French journal Science & Vie on medicinal plants, published in July 2020, estimated that the effect of uva-ursi leaves in the treatment of urinary tract infections has not yet been demonstrated, due to the lack of published scientific studies , including clinical trials. For example, a British clinical trial published in 2019 was negative.
– For an efficient fight against urinary infections, uva-ursi should be ingested with a basic diet (non-acidic).
– The name, uva-de-bear or uva-ursi, also found in Greek and Latin in its scientific name Arctostaphylos uva-ursi , comes naturally and simply from the fact that bears appreciate it.
– In North America, this plant was used by the Amerindians, due to its medicinal properties, they already used it against urinary infections.
I’m a stylist trainer, a content creator, and an entrepreneur passion. Virgo sign and Pisces ascendant, I move easily between my dreams, the crazy world I want, and my feet on the ground to carry out my projects.