Bearberry leaves are used in herbal medicine for the treatment of inflammatory diseases of the urinary tract. Properly dosed, the plant can treat, for example, inflammation of the bladder (cystitis) and upper and lower urinary tract infections.
Apply bearberry
Supportively, bearberry leaves can also be used for inflammation of the mucous membranes of the bladder and renal pelvis (catarrh). It should be used when the urine is alkaline, as the bacteria-killing substance from the leaves is preferentially released under alkaline conditions. To make the urine more alkaline, sodium bicarbonate (6-8 g/day) or plenty of plant food can be taken.
Application in folk medicine and alternative medicine
Bearberry was completely unknown in ancient times and the Middle Ages, and even today it is hardly used in folk medicine, if at all.
In homeopathy, the fresh leaves and young branch tips of bearberry are also used to treat diseases of the kidneys and the draining urinary tract.
Bearberry: what ingredients are in it?
Among the efficacy-determining ingredients in bearberry leaves are the so-called hydroquinone glycosides with a share of at least 6%, with the substance arbutin being the most important among them. In addition, tannins are present in 10-20%, as well as flavonoids and organic acids.
Bearberry – it can help with these indications.
These are the indications for which bearberry is considered effective:
- Urinary tract infection
- Bladder infection
- Inflammatory diseases of the urinary tract
