Bearberry - use and medicinal properties of bearberry. Bearberry: beneficial properties, application Preparation and storage of raw materials

26. FOLIA UVAE URSI
BEARBERRY LEAVES
FOLIA ARCTOSTAPHYLI UVAE URSI

Collected in the spring before and at the beginning of flowering or in the fall from the beginning of fruit ripening until the appearance of snow cover, leaves of the wild evergreen shrub bearberry - Arctostaphylos uvaursi (L.) Spreng., family. heather - Ericaceae.

External signs.
Whole raw materials. The leaves are small, leathery, dense, brittle, entire, obovate or elongated oval in shape, rounded at the apex, sometimes with a small notch, wedge-shaped narrowed towards the base, with a very short petiole. Leaf length 1-2.2 cm, width 0.5-1.2 cm. Venation reticulate.
The leaves on the upper side are dark green, shiny, with clearly visible depressed veins, on the lower side they are slightly lighter, matte, glabrous. There is no smell. The taste is very astringent, bitter.
Crushed raw materials. Pieces of leaves of various shapes from light green to dark green, passing through a sieve with holes with a diameter of 3 mm. There is no smell. The taste is very astringent, bitter.

Microscopy.
When examining the leaf from the surface, polygonal epidermal cells with straight and rather thick walls are visible. The stomata are large, round, with a wide open stomatal fissure, surrounded by 8 (5-9) epidermal cells (anomocytic type). Large veins are accompanied by calcium oxalate crystals in the form of prisms, their intergrowths and druses. Slightly curved 2-3-cell hairs are often found at the base of the leaf.

Qualitative reactions.
Crushed leaves in an amount of 0.5 g (see section “Quantitative determination”) are boiled with 10 ml of water for 2-3 minutes and filtered through a paper filter.
A small crystal of ferrous sulfate is added to 1 ml of the filtrate; a reddish-violet color appears, then a dark violet color and, finally, a dark violet precipitate (arbutin).
To 1 ml of the filtrate (in a porcelain cup) add 4 ml of ammonia solution and drop by drop 1 ml of a 10% solution of sodium phosphomolybdic acid in hydrochloric acid; A blue color appears (arbutin).
To 2-3 ml of filtrate (in a porcelain cup) add 2-3 drops of ferric ammonium alum solution; A black-blue color and sediment (tannins) appear.

Numerical indicators.
Whole raw materials. Arbutin not less than 6%; humidity no more than 12%; total ash no more than 4%; ash, insoluble in a 10% solution of hydrochloric acid, no more than 2%; no more than 3% of leaves that have turned brown and darkened on both sides; other parts of the plant (twigs, fruits) no more than 4%; organic impurity no more than 0.5%; mineral impurity no more than 0.5%.
Crushed raw materials. Arbutin not less than 6%; humidity no more than 12%; total ash no more than 4%; ash, insoluble in a 10% solution of hydrochloric acid, no more than 2%; browned and darkened pieces of leaves no more than 3%; particles that do not pass through a sieve with holes with a diameter of 3 mm, no more than 5%; organic impurity no more than 0.5%; mineral impurity no more than 0.5%.

Quantitation.
An analytical sample of raw materials is crushed to a particle size that passes through a sieve with holes 1 mm in diameter. About 0.5 g (exactly weighed) of crushed raw material is placed in a 100 ml flask, 50 ml of water is added and heated on a hotplate, maintaining a low boil for 30 minutes.
The hot extract is filtered into a 100 ml volumetric flask through a paper filter with a diameter of 7 mm, avoiding the contact of raw material particles on the filter. 25 ml of water is again added to the flask with the raw material and boiled for 20 minutes. The hot extract along with the raw material is transferred to the same filter and the residue on the filter is washed twice with hot water (10 ml each). Add 3 ml of basic lead acetate solution to the filtrate, mix and, after cooling, bring the volume of the filtrate to the mark with water. The flask is placed in a boiling water bath and kept until the sediment has completely coagulated. The hot liquid is completely filtered into a dry flask through a paper filter with a diameter of 10 cm, covering the funnel with a watch glass. After cooling, 1 ml of concentrated sulfuric acid is added to the filtrate, the flask is weighed with an error of ±0.01 g, connected to a reflux condenser and heated on a hot plate for 1.5 hours, maintaining a uniform and gentle boil.
The flask with the contents is cooled, brought to the original mass with water, and the liquid is completely filtered into a dry flask through a paper filter with a diameter of 7 cm. 0.1 g of zinc dust is added to the filtrate and shaken for 5 minutes. Then the liquid is neutralized on litmus paper with sodium bicarbonate (about 1-1.5 g), another 2 g of sodium bicarbonate is added and, after dissolving, filtered into a dry flask through a paper filter with a diameter of 7 cm.
50 ml of the filtrate is transferred into a flat-bottomed flask with a capacity of 500 ml, 200 ml of water is added and immediately titrated from a micro- or semi-microburette with an iodine solution (0.1 mol/l) with shaking until a blue color appears that does not disappear within 1 min (starch indicator ).
The arbutin content in terms of absolutely dry raw materials in percent (X) is calculated using the formula:

where 0.01361 is the amount of arbutin corresponding to 1 ml of iodine solution (0.1 mol/l), in grams; V is the volume of iodine solution (0.1 mol/l) used for titration, in milliliters; t - mass of raw materials in grams; W - weight loss when drying raw materials as a percentage.

Package.
Whole raw materials are packaged in fabric or flax-jute-kenaf bags no more than 20 kg net, crushed - in multilayer paper bags no more than 20 kg net.
The crushed raw materials are packaged in 100 g bags in type II paper bags, followed by placement in cardboard packs 8-1-4.

Shelf life: 5 years.
Diuretic

The medicinal properties of bearberry were discovered by northern peoples. But only at the beginning of the last century the herb began to be used in scientific medicine and pharmacology. Bearberry has long been considered a diuretic herb. And today this is its main therapeutic effect. The diuretic properties of the herb are confirmed by scientific medicine. But its other pharmacological properties have also been discovered - antiseptic, sedative, antispasmodic, hemostatic, anticarcinogenic and others.

Features of the medicinal plant bearberry

What are the beneficial properties and contraindications of bearberry? What does the grass look like, where does it grow and how to collect it?

Botanical description

Common bearberry. Botanical illustration from the book “Köhler’s Medizinal-Pflanzen”, 1887.

Bearberry grass, or bear's ear, is a perennial, evergreen subshrub. Maximum height is 50 cm. Its characteristic feature is shoots creeping along the ground from 1 to 2 meters long. The leaves are small, ovate; flowers are pink, collected in clusters at the top of the stem; the fruits are spherical mealy drupes of red color, unpleasant to the taste. The shrub blooms in May and bears fruit from July to September. It depends on the climate zone.

Area

Bear's ear grass is adapted to cold (arctic and subarctic) climates. Found everywhere in Siberia and the Far East. This is a northern berry, like lingonberries, cloudberries, blueberries, and cranberries. Unlike other berries, the plant is a rare shrub. Loves sandy, rocky soil, open spaces with a lot of light. Can grow in the mountains. It takes root well in lichen tundra and dry clearings. In pine forests it can be seen on sandy mounds. Found in Northern Europe, North and Central America. Less commonly, the shrub can be seen in the forest zone of the European part of Russia, in the territory of Polesie.

Blank

In folk and traditional medicine, bearberry leaves are usually used. How to prepare them?

• Collection time and conditions. It is recommended to collect leaves before flowering begins. You cannot pull out the entire bush or completely cut off the shoots on it, otherwise the plant will die. You can cut several shoots from one bush. It is also important not to damage the flowers when picking. You can also harvest leaves in the fall, before frost sets in.
• Drying. Under natural conditions, drying can last up to 3 weeks. The plucked leaves do not wither for a long time. The grass is laid out in a thin layer, turned, and dried in a dry, ventilated room. The finished raw material should look like tea.
• Storage . The raw materials are transferred to linen bags and protected from dampness. Shelf life - 5 years.

Bearberry berries are not considered poisonous; they also contain many useful substances - fiber, organic acids, vitamins and microelements. However, their taste is astringent and fibrous. Even among northern peoples it is not suitable for fresh consumption. Medicinal jelly and compotes are prepared from it. Sometimes an inexperienced berry grower can confuse the berry with a lingonberry by appearance. But the taste of these berries is very different. Why did the shrub get the popular name “bear ears”? Possibly due to the shape of the leaves. But an even more probable origin is that bears love to feast on the berries.

Healing effect

What is in the chemical composition of leaves?

• Glycosides. Arbutin and methylarbutin have a pronounced antiseptic effect, especially in the organs of the urinary system.
• Organic acids. Cinchona, formic, gallic, ursolic and others. They have a beneficial effect on digestion, maintain acid-base balance, metabolism, dilate venous vessels, and stimulate the functioning of the heart muscle. For example, gallic acid has an antiviral and fungicidal effect.
• Tannins of the pyrogall group. They provide bactericidal and astringent properties. These biologically active substances form a protective film on the mucous membranes and relieve inflammation.
• Bioflavonoids, or vitamin P. Most of the compounds found were quercetin, quercitrin, myricitrin, and hyperoside. They influence the process of formation and excretion of urine, stimulate the function of the adrenal glands, normalize blood pressure, have anti-carcinogenic properties, and prevent the growth of tumor cells. In combination with vitamin C, it increases the strength of blood vessels and strengthens their walls.

The composition also contains large quantities of minerals and vitamins, and a little essential oil.

Pharmachologic effect:

• diuretic;
• disinfectant;
• wound healing;
• anti-inflammatory;
• bactericidal;
• detoxifying;
• anti-carcinogenic;
• astringent;
• soothing;
• hemostatic;
• antispasmodic.

Indications

For what symptoms and diagnoses does the use of bearberry provide a therapeutic effect?

• urinary system. Arbutin tends to irritate the epithelium of the kidneys, which leads to a diuretic effect, that is, acceleration of urine excretion. The hydrolysis of arbutin produces the bactericidal substance hydroquinone. Bearberry is useful for cystitis, urethritis, pyelitis - for all inflammatory processes in the kidneys and bladder in both women and men. It helps well with renal failure, normalizes water-salt metabolism, suppresses pathogenic microflora.
• Digestive system. The herb has a good astringent effect, so it is indicated for diarrhea, intestinal atony, and inflammation of the stomach. The use of bear's ear herb will be useful for poisoning with heavy metal salts. It helps cleanse the body and normalize digestion.
• Nervous system . Relaxes the nervous system, relieves tension, helps with insomnia, neuroses, and neurological disorders.
• Treatment of alcoholism. People believe that the herb is especially helpful for beer alcoholism. It is drunk in the form of decoctions and water infusions for a month.
• For women . Used for inflammation of the genitourinary organs internally and externally in the form of douching. The herb helps with genital tract infections; it is used in the complex treatment of sexually transmitted diseases, to reduce the muscular layer of the uterus after childbirth.
• For men . The herb relieves pain when urinating and is effective for chronic prostatitis. It also relieves inflammation in infectious prostatitis, and in the acute period of this disease it may initially intensify the symptoms. Indicated in the period between exacerbations, it is drunk as tea to prevent inflammation of the prostate gland.
• For children . External use is allowed for skin problems, exudative diathesis (scrofula), festering, non-healing wounds, if there is no allergic reaction to the herb. It helps well with diarrhea, inflammation of the kidneys and bladder, but when taken orally, there is a high probability of an adverse reaction to tannins. Therefore, the use of this herb in children of any age is prohibited without consulting a doctor.

What are the contraindications of bearberry? Individual intolerance and allergy to grass. Do not take for chronic constipation, exacerbation of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and urinary system. Official instructions indicate that bearberry is prohibited during pregnancy and lactation. Tannins, when taken long-term and uncontrolled, can cause side effects - nausea, vomiting, constipation or diarrhea.

Application and preparation at home

What is the use of bearberry herb in folk medicine? What medicines can you prepare from the leaves yourself? What can you buy at the pharmacy?

Pharmacy drugs

• Ground plant materials. Dried bearberry leaves for preparing decoctions, tinctures and infusions. There are packages of 50, 75, 100 g. You can purchase the grass in the form of filter bags. In addition, bearberry leaf is often included in diuretic herbal preparations.
• Tincture. The main purpose is diseases of the urinary system. The instructions for use also indicate that the product helps with rheumatism, gout, and cancer. It can also be taken for colds and pulmonary tuberculosis.
• Uriflorin tablets. The main active ingredient is dry extract of bearberry leaf. There are other commercial names for this medicine. This is an anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, diuretic agent. You can drink it for a long time - up to 1 month. Prescribed in the complex treatment of kidney and bladder infections.

Decoction

How to prepare a decoction of bearberry in order to preserve its medicinal properties as much as possible?

Preparation

1. Take 1 tbsp. l. raw materials.
2. Pour a glass of boiling water.
3. Place in a water bath for 15 minutes.
4. Leave for 40 minutes.
5. Strain.

This decoction is taken 1 tbsp. l. 3 times a day after meals. It is useful to drink for chronic cystitis, for the prevention of exacerbations of the urinary system, kidney stones, and urolithiasis. In addition to the leaves, a decoction and infusion can be prepared from bearberry flowers. Most often it is used externally to treat inflammation of the eyes and heart failure.

Infusion

Herbalists describe several recipes for preparing an infusion using cold and hot methods. Previously, it was believed that the leaves needed to be boiled for a long time in order to obtain an extract of beneficial substances. However, this removes most of the tannins, which cause side effects and give a strong astringent taste. In modern herbal medicine, it is recommended to prepare a cold infusion, with less extraction of tannins. Such infusions are safer for children.

Preparation of cold infusion

1. Take 1 tbsp. l. dry raw materials.
2. Pour a glass of cold boiled water.
3. Leave for 12 to 24 hours.
4. Strain.

Take warm, 1/3 cup 3 times a day. It is useful to drink for pyelonephritis, cystitis and other inflammations of the genitourinary area. Well relieves acute forms of inflammation during hypothermia. To obtain a therapeutic effect, they recommend an alkaline diet or adding soda to decoctions and infusions - ¼ teaspoon each. The release of hydroquinone in the body is possible only with an alkaline reaction.

Preparation of a diuretic collection

1. Take 10 g each of bearberry leaf, birch buds, licorice root and horsetail.
2. Add 20 g each of lingonberry leaves, nettles and flax seeds.
3. Mix herbs and take 1 tbsp. collection spoon.
4. Pour a glass of boiling water.
5. Leave for 1 hour.

Strain before use. Drink 50 ml twice a day.

Tincture

According to reviews, alcohol tincture, like cold infusion, is especially useful for prostatitis.

Preparation

1. Take 1 part of dry raw materials.
2. Pour in 5 parts of vodka (40% alcohol).
3. Leave for 2 weeks at room temperature.
4. Strain.

Drink 10–15 drops 3 times a day. The product also helps with urinary incontinence, relieves irritability, and normalizes sleep.

Powder

You can make a powder from dry herbs by grinding the leaves in a coffee grinder. It can be used orally with water for all of the above diagnoses. Dosage - 1 g 2 times a day. But most often the powder is used externally - to treat wounds, non-healing ulcers, and skin rashes. You can use it dry or make lotions from it.

It is important to know that any bearberry medications can turn your urine greenish. The herb also causes an increased urge to urinate, which is quite normal with a diuretic effect.

Cosmetology

Arbutin contained in bearberry has a pronounced whitening property. Therefore, it is used in cosmetology to whiten facial skin, eliminate freckles and age spots. You can make masks from the herb; leaf extracts are also added to cosmetics - creams, serums, lotions and masks. May irritate the skin and cause an allergic reaction with prolonged use. In women with dark pigmentation, the product may give a bluish tint to the skin. The question of the safety of this herbal remedy remains open.

Some researchers believe that excess arbutin can lead to malignant tumors. But compared to the synthetic analogue hydroquinone, arbutin in bearberry is much safer.

More information about use during pregnancy

Despite the fact that the instructions give a clear contraindication - pregnancy and lactation, the herb is still prescribed to pregnant women. What is important to know?

• Indications for bear ears during pregnancy. First of all, this remedy is prescribed during pregnancy for edema in the last trimester. Women of the older generation remember that before, bears ears were often prescribed during pregnancy, and nowhere on the drugs was written about the harm and danger of the herb. Today this warning appears on all bearberry medicines. Doctors say pharmaceutical companies are playing it safe because there is still a threat.
• Strict contraindications. The herb is especially dangerous in the early stages, since it has abortifacient properties, tones the smooth muscles of the uterus and can lead to miscarriage. It is not prescribed in the first trimester.
• Lactation period. When breastfeeding, the grass can lead to decreased lactation. Therefore, it is contraindicated if the woman is not ready to stop breastfeeding. And, conversely, the herb will help reduce lactation at the final stage of breastfeeding.

Self-use of bearberry leaves during pregnancy is strictly prohibited. All questions about dosage and course must be resolved with a gynecologist.

Bearberry is a natural diuretic, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory agent. Decoctions, hot and cold infusions, alcohol tinctures, and powder are prepared from it. Due to the side effects of tannins and a number of contraindications, the herb is used only as prescribed by a doctor.

In the forest regions of our country, a wonderful evergreen plant, bearberry, is found; as a rule, it is found among thickets of no less useful lingonberries. Many people confuse these plants because of their almost indistinguishable, at first glance, similarity. Bearberry is popularly nicknamed "bear's ear", which resembles the leaves of this plant.

Description of the plant

Bearberry (in Latin Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) belongs to the heather plant family. The name translated from Latin sounds like “bear berries”. This plant is a low (from 20 to 40 centimeters in height), evergreen shrub with a strongly branching stem. Its stems are most often recumbent, creeping, with erect branches of peduncles. Young stems and branches are green or brownish-green, while older ones become reddish-brown, with peeling bark.

Bearberry leaf blades are glossy on top, dark green in color and slightly wrinkled along the veins, lighter below, without shine, alternately arranged. The edges of the leaves are solid, teardrop-shaped, with a sharp end attached to a short petiole. They remain on the bush for about two years, then die off and are replaced by young ones.

Bearberry blooms with white-pink flowers on short stalks in May or early June. The flowers are collected in small racemes, slightly drooping inflorescences, 5-10 flowers each. Fruit ripening occurs closer to August. The bearberry fruit is a berry, round in shape, red in color, the pulp is sweet, mealy, and contains large seeds inside.

Externally, bearberry is similar to lingonberry, with which it is sometimes confused. A distinctive feature of bearberry is a very branched but recumbent stem, not juicy (like lingonberries), but a mealy berry, with no black dots on the leaves on the underside.

Bearberry is usually found in sparse coniferous forests, in clearing areas, in young pine forests, and in open glades. Bearberry is a light-loving plant. This plant is widespread throughout almost the entire territory of our country.

Preparation of medicinal raw materials

Only the leaves of bearberry are used as medicinal raw materials. But young shoots with foliage 3-4 cm long are harvested. They are collected in early spring, before bearberry begins to bloom, and in late autumn, almost before snow.
Before drying, the prepared raw materials must be inspected and damaged leaves or pieces of twigs must be removed.

Under no circumstances should the plant be pulled out by the roots; the plant will not grow in this place. Correctly and in due time, collected bearberry leaves retain their green color even after drying. Dry the raw materials in drying cabinets or under a canopy, avoiding rain moisture getting on the plant. After drying, the leaf is separated from the shoots and the stems are discarded.

Bearberry is a very popular medicinal product not only in our country, but also in Western European countries, where it is cultivated as a crop. For example, in Slovenia they grow a cultivar of bearberry “Arbuta”, which, unlike its wild sister, has longer shoots and, accordingly, more leafy ones. This plant has a high arbutin content and can reproduce vegetatively.
A properly prepared bearberry leaf has almost no odor, and the taste should be bitter and astringent.

Medicinal properties of bearberry

Bearberry leaf contains substances such as phenolic glycosides, methyl arbutin, arbutin glycoside, flavone glycoside hyperoside, flavonoids, pyrogallic tannins, organic acids - ursolic, gallic, formic, ellagic, quinic and others.

In addition, bearberry contains essential oils, wax, ascorbic acid, resins, a lot of iodine, and accumulates manganese in its leaves, which is a direct participant in the biosynthesis of biologically active substances (such as arbutin), as well as copper and zinc.
Bearberry leaf is used for medicinal purposes in the form of decoctions, infusions and as part of various herbal preparations.

A good therapeutic effect is observed when bearberry treats edema associated with disruption of the heart muscle, various diseases of the urinary tract (cystitis, pyelocystitis, pyelitis, urethritis). This plant is also used for gastritis, heartburn, nephrosis, Graves' disease, chronic nephritis, kidney bleeding, catarrh of the bladder, venereal diseases, uterine bleeding, leucorrhoea, tuberculosis and many other equally serious diseases. It is used both for diathesis and for the treatment of purulent wounds and ulcers.
Bearberry perfectly combines anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and diuretic properties, which makes it a unique medicinal product

Use of bearberry in folk medicine

In ancient times, many peoples considered bearberry a sacred plant and used it for incense during various rituals and ceremonies. Indians in America still use this plant for incense during religious ceremonies, and shamans use it to learn predictions. Tibetan monks use bearberry as an incense during meditation. Also, magical properties were attributed to this plant, which made it possible to use it as amulets in home magic.

Among the northern peoples of Europe, Scandinavia and Russia, bearberry was used as a medicinal remedy not only by healers, but also by monks who wrote down recipes and kept them in deep secret. Bearberry is one of the most ancient remedies used to treat venereal diseases in the Middle Ages, used as an astringent for diarrhea, hemoptysis, and used to treat bladder diseases, urolithiasis and urinary tract diseases.

Lithuanian healers use young bearberry leaves as a tonic and blood purifier, but the developed “old” leaves are used as an anti-inflammatory and antirheumatic agent. Bearberry shoots with flower stalks are considered a good remedy for heart disease, conjunctivitis, pemphigus and blepharitis. But the fruits help better with diarrhea, especially in young children and in the treatment of gastritis.

Traditional healers in foreign countries recommend the use of bearberry for the treatment of diabetes mellitus, malignant tumors, malaria, bleeding both uterine and kidney, pulmonary tuberculosis, indigestion and intestinal atony, colitis, vaginitis, gonorrhea, diathesis and as an effective means of reducing myometrium . Bearberry is also good for curing bedwetting in children.

Traditional medicine recipes

Contraindications

Before using bearberry, consult a doctor.

• Presence of acute renal pathology.
• With exacerbation of gastrointestinal diseases.
• Pregnancy and lactation period.

Since ancient times, bearberry has been used by folk healers to cure a lot of pathologies. In Russian folk medicine, the plant was used to treat venereal diseases, as well as urolithiasis. Lithuanian folk medicine used its medicinal properties to cleanse the blood. Bearberry-based preparations were used to treat diarrhea, central nervous system pathologies, and hypertension.

In our time, the plant has not lost its fans. In Germany it is still used as a disinfectant. Poles value the beneficial antiseptic properties of the plant and use it to treat pyelitis, cystitis, diarrhea, tuberculosis and malaria.

In addition, due to the presence of tannins in the plant, it is used in leather tanning. Bearberry contains arbutin, which has a whitening effect, making the plant valued by cosmetologists.

Botanical characteristics

Bear's ear (popular name bearberry) is a perennial evergreen prostrate shrub of the heather family. It reaches a height of seventy or more centimeters. The plant is equipped with creeping branched shoots, covered with brownish bark, evergreen alternate leathery on top, wrinkled oblong-obovate, entire-edge, and light matte leaves below, pink small flowers.

The fruits are red, five-seeded, mealy, spherical berries. It begins to bloom at the beginning of spring, and the fruits ripen by mid-summer. Russia, Siberia, Caucasus, Far East - habitat. Dry pine forests, deciduous forests, sandy soils, birch-deciduous woodlands, clearings, clearings, seaside cliffs, scree are places where bearberry grows.

Blank

Traditional healers mainly use the leaves. It is advisable to collect raw materials in early spring. Then the leaves need to be sorted and the spoiled and rotten ones removed. You should not pull out the bearberry with its rhizome, as it will no longer grow in this place.

If the raw material was prepared correctly and on time, then even after drying it will retain its green color. You can dry the leaves either outside in the shade or in the attic, or in a special dryer or oven. It is very important to maintain the temperature regime in the dryer, fifty degrees. Properly harvested foliage should have a bitter, astringent taste and a very faint aroma. Next, the raw materials are poured into paper bags or cardboard boxes and placed for storage in a well-ventilated area. The shelf life of raw materials is three years.

Composition and benefits of the plant

The plant contains a significant amount of biologically active substances:

• phenols;
• phenologlycosides;
• arbutin;
• ursolic acid;
• erythrodiol;
• uvaola;
• oleic acid;
• anthocyanins;
• catechins;
• phenolcarboxylic acids;
• flavonoids;
• organic acids (formic, quinic);
• tannins;
• essential oils;
• micro- and macroelements.

Bearberry has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiseptic, diuretic, astringent, disinfectant, wound healing and analgesic effects.

Medicines based on bearberry help:

• normalization of the functioning of the cardiovascular system;
• normalization of metabolic processes;
• wound healing;
• stopping bleeding;
• improving digestion;
• normalization of the gastrointestinal tract;
• elimination of inflammatory processes;
• elimination of edema;
• normalization of the functioning of the central nervous system;
• improved sleep;
• treatment of rheumatism, cystitis, urethritis, gonorrhea, diarrhea, malaria, tuberculosis, prostatitis, gout, diathesis, urolithiasis, heartburn, colitis, gastritis.

Alternative medicine recipes

Chronic cystitis: treatment with infusion

Take dry leaves of the plant, chop and brew a couple of tablespoons of the raw material in half a liter of boiled water. It is necessary to infuse the product overnight in a dry, warm place. In the morning, filter the composition and drink a quarter glass of the drink three times a day, after meals.

Diathesis, urolithiasis: use of decoction

Mix dried bearberry leaves with horsetail, dill seed and carrots in equal proportions. Grind all ingredients to a powdery consistency. Pour the powder into an enamel pan, add three liters of boiling water and leave to steep overnight. The next day, place the container on the stove and boil. Cool, filter and consume half a glass of the product before each sitting at the table.

Cardiac neurosis: treatment with decoction

Take 15 grams of dried finely chopped bearberry leaves and combine with motherwort herb - the same amount, mix. Pour the mixture into a saucepan, add 400 ml of running water, and place on the stove. Cook the product over low heat for twenty minutes. Cool, filter and take 20 ml of the drug four times a day before meals.

Gout: using a healing ointment

Grind fresh bearberry leaves and pour 30 grams of the raw material with boiled water - 300 ml. Boil the mixture, filter and mix with melted pork fat, stir. Place the product in the refrigerator. Lubricate the painful areas with the prepared ointment. Cover the top with cellophane and cotton cloth. Put on a warm sock and go to bed like that. There must be at least ten such procedures.

Tuberculosis: use of the mixture

Grind the dried leaves of the plant to a powdery consistency and pour into an enamel saucepan. Pour the raw material with milk, approximately 200 ml and put on fire, boil. Then combine the broth with a spoonful of badger fat and stir. Cool the mixture and add a little honey. It is recommended to take 10 ml of the drug twice a day: morning and evening.

Insomnia: treatment with infusion

Mix bearberry leaves with birch leaves, licorice rhizome and corn silk in equal proportions. Brew 30 grams of raw materials with boiling water - half a liter. Leave the product in a warm place for four hours. Take half a glass of medicine four times a day.

Preparation of a diuretic agent

Combine 15 grams of bearberry leaves with the same amount of lingonberry leaves, flaxseeds, nettle herb, birch leaves, horsetail and licorice rhizome. Grind all the ingredients and brew 40 g of the mixture with boiling water - 300 ml. Leave the product for several hours, then filter. Drink 50 ml of the drink three times a day.

Bearberry is one of the plants that is actively used not only in folk, but also in official medicine. It is a small evergreen shrub. In spring it pleases the eye with delicate white-pink flowers, and in autumn with small red berries, strongly reminiscent of lingonberries. Bearberry leaves have an elongated oval shape and a soft, fluffy surface; perhaps these qualities of the leaves are the reason that this plant is often called bear's ear among the people, and it is also often called bear berry. It is the leaves that are considered the most valuable part of the bush, which can help in the fight against many diseases.

Composition of bearberry leaves

Bearberry leaves contain many beneficial components. Among all, it is especially worth highlighting arbutin glucoside, organic acids and flavonoids. Arbutin, when entering the body, has a pronounced diuretic and antiseptic effect. Flavonoids destroy microbes, bacteria and viruses. Ursulic acid has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, while gallic acid prevents the development of tumors and premature aging. In addition, bearberry contains tannins that have a beneficial effect on the intestines, hydroquinone, which, when applied externally, has a rejuvenating and brightening effect on the skin. It also contains quercetin, essential oils, macro- and microelements.

Bearberry - beneficial properties and contraindications

Bear's ear is endowed with many beneficial properties. First of all, it is an excellent diuretic - it effectively removes excess fluid from the body. In addition, the plant has astringent qualities, relieves muscle tension, and has a pronounced antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, disinfectant, analgesic and enveloping effect.

When consuming infusions and decoctions prepared from bearberry, all kinds of inflammatory processes are eliminated more quickly. Diuretic properties This plant helps get rid of edema and various diseases of the genitourinary system. It has a good effect in the treatment of cystitis, prostatitis and urethritis. Bearberry is very useful for the kidneys. Bear berry fights many diseases of this organ, for example, pyelocystitis, pyelitis and pyelonephritis. When taking it, the kidneys recover faster and begin to function better.

Bearberry also copes with gastrointestinal diseases. It helps with chronic colitis, gastritis and constipation, heartburn, ulcers. Thanks to its astringent effect, this plant stabilizes the functioning of the intestines and stomach, and also helps in their restoration. External use of bear berry will reduce wrinkles, improve health, strengthen defenses, soften and lighten the skin, and also eliminate inflammation. Bearberry is also effective in the fight against rheumatism, gout, uterine bleeding, diabetes, heart failure, diathesis, urolithiasis and even some sexually transmitted diseases.

Bearberry contraindications

Bearberry is considered a relatively safe remedy, so it does not have many contraindications. First of all, you should avoid eating bear berries if you have acute renal failure and glomerulonephritis. In addition, it is not recommended for children under twelve years of age, nursing mothers and pregnant women.

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Bearberry during pregnancy

Despite the fact that bearberry leaves help get rid of the most common pregnancy problems such as insomnia, excessive nervousness, heartburn and swelling, it should not be taken during pregnancy. This is due to the fact that this plant has an irritating effect on the muscles of the uterus, so premature birth or spontaneous miscarriage may occur as a result of taking bearberry.

Bearberry - application

In official medicine, bear berry is usually used to treat the bladder, urinary system, and urethra. It is used as an independent remedy, and is also included in various preparations. Traditional medicine uses bearberry more widely. Now there are many recipes based on this medicinal plant.

Bearberry decoction

In folk medicine, bearberry decoction is recommended to be taken for edema, chronic gastritis, cystitis, chronic nephritis, constipation, uterine bleeding, chronic colitis, urethritis, diathesis, diabetes and other diseases mentioned above. This remedy can also be used externally, in which case it will help cure poorly healing wounds, diathesis, abrasions, etc.

To prepare it, grind a tablespoon of leaves until a powdery mass is formed, pour a glass of boiling water into them, and then send them to a water bath. Heat the mixture for a quarter of an hour, then set it aside for forty minutes. Strain the finished broth and use boiled water to bring it to the initial volume. Take the product half an hour after eating, fifty milliliters three times a day.

Bearberry infusion

This remedy perfectly fights cystitis, and it is also used to treat other diseases. To prepare it, combine two glasses of cold water with ten grams of bearberry leaves. Leave the resulting mixture for about twelve hours, then heat it for about five minutes, but do not boil, and strain. It is recommended to take thirty milliliters half an hour after eating three times a day. This infusion should be stored in the refrigerator for no more than two days.

Bearberry tincture

Tincture of bearberry leaves is used for sleep disorders, alcoholism, diseases of the nervous system, urolithiasis, as an analgesic and a remedy for rheumatism, malignant tumors and gout.