Bearberry (uva ursi)
Synopsis of bearberry
Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) is a low-growing evergreen shrub in the Ericaceae (heath) family, native to North America, Europe, and northern Asia. Its leathery leaves—not the red berries—are used medicinally, especially for their urinary tract–supporting properties. The plant gets its name from the fact that bears are fond of its berries, but it’s the leaf extract that holds value in herbal medicine.
Bearberry leaves are rich in arbutin, a glycoside that converts into hydroquinone in the body, providing antiseptic and antimicrobial action, particularly in the urinary tract. The leaves also contain tannins, flavonoids, and phenolic acids, giving the herb astringent, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, and toning properties.
Bearberry is most often used to:
- Treat mild urinary tract infections (UTIs)
- Soothe bladder inflammation (cystitis)
- Relieve kidney irritation or gravel
- Support urinary tract health in recurrent infections
- Act as a mild diuretic and urinary antiseptic
To be effective, bearberry requires an alkaline urinary environment, which allows arbutin to convert into its active form. It is typically used in short-term protocols, not long-term, due to concerns about prolonged exposure to hydroquinone derivatives.
Bearberry is commonly prepared as a tincture, capsule, or tea, though its high tannin content may make the tea quite bitter and drying.
Historical Use:
Bearberry has been used for centuries in European, Native American, and Russian folk medicine. In traditional European herbalism, it was considered a primary remedy for urinary tract issues, especially in women, and was often included in formulas for bladder infections and kidney cleansing.
Native American tribes, including the Cherokee, Navajo, and Iroquois, used bearberry for a wide variety of conditions. It was smoked ceremonially (sometimes mixed with other herbs like tobacco), used in poultices for wounds, and taken internally for urinary ailments, back pain, and digestive upset.
In Eclectic medicine (a 19th-century American herbal tradition), bearberry was favored for chronic bladder irritation, mucous discharges, and as a urinary astringent. It was often combined with buchu, corn silk, or echinacea to broaden its effects.
Today, bearberry remains a respected herbal remedy for urinary tract support, especially in acute or recurring cases, though it is now often used under professional guidance due to its potent constituents and potential toxicity if misused. It stands as a classic example of a targeted botanical antimicrobial, rooted in centuries of traditional use.
Bearberry is used for these health conditions
Bladder (irritable) (Traditional)
Bladder Infection (Scientific)
Blood in Urine (Traditional)
Edema (Traditional)
Infection (Traditional)
Infection (bacterial) (Traditional)
Kidney Infection (Traditional)
Urinary Tract Infections (Scientific)
Urination (burning or painful) (Scientific)
bearberry is used to support these body systems
Bladder (Traditional)
Kidneys (Traditional)
Urinary System (Traditional)
