Bearberry

Name: Bearberry

Other Names: red bearberry, bear's bilberry, bear's whortleberry, foxberry, upland cranberry, mountain cranberry, mealberry, rockberry, mountain box, killikinnic, universe vine, brawling, burren myrtle, creashak, sagachomi, rapper dandies, Uva ursi, Arctostaphylos uva ursi, kinnikinnick, pinemat manzanita, Beargrape, Cascara

Description: The reason why Bearberry has been given this name because it is said to be greatly enjoyed by bears. The Bearberry is also called Arctostaphylos uva ursi or Arbutus uva ursi. The leaves and berries are used of this herb. The leaves of the plant are used in herbal medicine. This herb grows in dry sandy or rocky soil from the middle Atlantic States north to Labrador and westward to California and Alaska.

Bearberry is also known by many other names Uva-ursi, red bearberry, bear's-grape, bear's bilberry, bear's whortleberry, foxberry, upland cranberry, mountain cranberry, crowberry, mealberry, rockberry, mountain box, kinnikinnic, killikinnic, universe vine, brawling, burren myrtle, creashak, sagachomi, rapper dandies (fruit).

Traditionally, the astringent leaves have been used for diarrhea and dysentery and for bladder infections and other afflictions of the urinary tract. It has also been a folk medicine in the treatment of bronchitis. Bearberry was long used as a urinary antiseptic by physicians.

Bearberry is an excellent example of an herb whose safe and effective use is far more complicated than simply preparing an herb tea. While often described as a "diuretic", bearberry does not strongly promote urination but rather serves as a urinary antiseptic. It contains arbutin and methylarbutin which are transformed into hydroquinone in the intestine. After this compound has been absorbed by the intestine, it binds to other compounds in the urine (if the urine is alkaline), forming two additional chemicals which kill or inhibit bacteria in the urinary tract. In Germany, Bearberry is approved as a urinary antiseptic.