Uva-ursi -Bearberry (Arctostaphylos )

April 6th, 2007

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi is a species of Arctostaphylos, one of several related species referred to as bearberry. Other names for this species include kinnikinnick and pinemat manzanita.
It is a small procumbent woody shrub 5-30 cm high. The leaves are evergreen, remaining green for 1-3 years before falling. The fruit is a red berry.

Uva ursi is a Latin name which means bear’s grape. Its botanical name is Arctostaphylos and it is of the Ericaceae family. Other common names include bearberry, kinnikinnick (the name given to it by native Americans), whortleberry, spreng, mountain cranberry, and mealberry. It is a low-growing evergreen plant, usually reaching no more than 16 in (41 cm) in height.

Growing in the cooler, northern climates, uva ursi likes well-drained sandy soil and a sunny location. It can be found in the mountainous areas of Europe, Asia and America, where it is commonly used for ornamental purposes, mostly as shrubbery or hedging. It is widely found in Canada and the United States, but no further south than Wisconsin and New Jersey. In the British Isles, it is common in the Highlands of Scotland, the hilly areas of Ireland, and as far south as Yorkshire in England.

Uva ursi bears many pink or white flowers, which may be tinged with red, and grow in clusters. Bears are known to be fond of its red berries, hence the common name. The leaves, which are the part of the plant used for medicinal purposes, are smooth-edged, leathery, small, (between half an inch to an inch long), and oval. They are dark green in color and have lighter undersides. The leaves have no odor but are to be distinguished by their exceedingly bitter taste. They are attached to the branch by a very short stem. The branches tend to trail, are covered with a light brown bark, and are inclined to form a thick mass one to two feet long. Shoots rise obliquely from the stems and have soft hairs.

The leaves are shiny, small, and feel thick and stiff. They are alternately arranged on the stems. Undersides of leaves are lighter green than on the tops. New stems can be red in areas with high sun, but are otherwise green. Older growth stems are brown. In spring, they have white or pink flowers. They are a common plant on Jack pine sites.

The distribution is circumpolar, widespread in northern latitudes, confined to high altitudes further south. In Europe, from Iceland and North Cape, Norway south to southern Spain (Sierra Nevada), central Italy (Apennines) and northern Greece (Pindus mountains); in Asia from arctic Siberia south to Turkey, the Caucasus and the Himalaya; in North America from arctic Alaska, Canada and Greenland south to California, north coast, central High Sierra Nevada (above Convict Lake, Mono County, California), Central Coast, California, San Francisco Bay Area, to New Mexico in the Rocky Mountains; and the Appalachian Mountains in the northeast United States. In some areas the plant is endangered or has been extirpated from its native range. In other areas it is abundant.

There are four subspecies:

1.Arctostaphylos uva-ursi subsp. uva-ursi. Common Bearberry; circumpolar arctic and subarctic, and in mountains further south.
2.Arctostaphylos uva-ursi subsp. adenotricha. Central high Sierra Nevada.

3.Arctostaphylos uva-ursi subsp. coactilis. North coastal California, central coast California, San Francisco Bay Area.

4.Arctostaphylos uva-ursi subsp. cratericola (J. D. Smith) P. V. Wells. Guatemala Bearberry, endemic to Guatemala at very high altitudes (3000-4000 m).

There are also several varieties that are propagated for use as ornamentals. It is an attractive evergreen plant and it is also useful for controlling erosion.

The chemical constituents of uva ursi include:

arbutin (a glycoside) up to 10%, which is converted to hydroquinone in alkaline urine, thus releasing its active ingredient
methyl arbutin
flavonoids
tannins, which can irritate stomach lining if taken in large quantities or over a long period of time
alantoin
phenolic acids (gallic and ellacic)
volatile oil
resin
ursolic acid, which is known to be an effective diuretic
quercetin and myricetin (coloring)

On incineration, the leaves yield approximately 3% ash. uva ursi also contains the following nutrients:

vitamin A
iron
manganese
selenium
silicon

Medicinal Uses:

Bearberry has historically been used for medicinal purposes. It contains the glycoside arbutin, which has antimicrobial properties and acts as a mild diuretic. It has been used for urinary tract complaints, including cystitis and urolithiasis. An infusion may be made by soaking the leaves in ethanol and then diluting with water.

Uva ursi, which is generally categorized as a treatment for the urinary and glandular systems, was commonly included in all the old pharmacopoeias, where it was sometimes mistakenly named Arbutas, and classified as such.

Effective treats urinary tract ailments, jaundice, liver congestion, urine low, constipation, headaches, coughs, colds, rheumatism and much more.

It has also been included in the modern pharmacopoeias due to its many medicinal uses and the fact that modern research has not detracted from the high esteem in which it is held in alternative health circles. The leaves of uva ursi are used mainly for kidney and urinary infections, for which it is exceptionally effective, having both anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. It is a famous herbal cure for cystitis, from which most women suffer at some time or another. It is also effective for the treatment of kidney stones, as it acts on these by softening them and has muscle relaxant properties, which may be beneficial in patients with this disorder.

Other illnesses for which it has been used include Bright’s disease, dysentery, nephritis, gonorrhea and syphilis, excessive menstruation, stimulation of the spleen, liver and pancreas, hemorrhoids, menopause, and diabetes. Research has indicated that the herb is more effective in its whole state than when broken down into components.

Some of the other uses for which uva ursi is also known include the following:

Some native Americans combined it with tobacco and smoked it.
Its astringent properties make it useful for infections (it dries them up).
The tea may be used as an antiseptic for cuts and abrasions.
It is sometimes used as a weight loss aid because it promotes production of urine, being an effective diuretic.
In some places, notably Russia, it is drunk as a tea.
Uva ursi is one of the rare herbs that can be helpful in cases of bedwetting.
Uva ursi has such a high tannin content that the leaves have actually been used to tan leather in Russia and Scandinavia.
In Scandinavia, an ash-colored dye is made from the plant.
Uva ursi berries are used as food for grouse.

Help taken from: en.wikipedia.org and healthline.com