Birch: Medicinal Uses

Products

Commercially available products include teas, tea blends, the cut medicinal drug, drops, and birch sap (selection). Extracts of birch leaves are typical ingredients of kidney and bladder dragées and kidney and bladder teas.

Stem plant

The parent plants are the birch trees (weeping birch) and (downy birch) of the birch family. Both species are native to Europe. Birches grow mainly in the northern hemisphere.

Medicinal drug

Birch leaves (Betulae folium) are most commonly used as a medicinal raw material. They consist of the whole or cut dried foliage leaves of , of , of both species or hybrids of both species. The pharmacopoeia requires a minimum content of flavonoids. Two different products are called birch sap (Betulae succus). First, it can be obtained from the birch leaves, usually by extraction with a solvent such as ethanol. Second, the stems are bored in the spring, and birch sap comes out. See under birch sap.

Ingredients

The ingredients of birch leaves include:

  • Flavonoids
  • Tannins
  • Phenolic carboxylic acids: chlorogenic acid
  • Essential oil
  • Triterpene alcohols
  • Vitamins, especially vitamin C

Effects

Preparations from the birch leaves have diuretic and antibacterial properties.

Indications for use

The drugs are traditionally used as diuretics, for example, in inflammatory and bacterial diseases of the urinary tract such as cystitis. Birch leaves are also used in rheumatic diseases and to prevent kidney stones. In alternative medicine, birch leaves are also used for purification or detoxification (“detox“).

Dosage

The tea is prepared as an infusion with about one teaspoon of medicinal drug per cup. Allow to steep for 5 to 10 minutes. Drink one cup several times a day.

Contraindications

  • Hypersensitivity
  • Children under 6 years

Full precautions can be found in the drug label.

Adverse effects

Possible adverse effects include hypersensitivity reactions and gastrointestinal disturbances.