Urinary tract infections

The red berries are a real delicacy for bears. So it's no wonder that the bearberry has this name. For us humans, the leaves remain interesting for use because they have something special: they have an antibacterial effect and help with urinary tract infections.

The true bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) belongs to the heather family. A well-known relative of the bearberry, for example, is the cranberry. The bearberry is native primarily to Canada, the Alps and southern low mountain ranges as well as Northern and Eastern Europe, where it grows wild in sunny places in moorland, coniferous forests and heaths. The plant spreads along the ground and reaches heights of between 5 and 50 centimeters. Their branches branch out widely. The delicate, white-pink flowers that hang down like bells appear from March to June. The red, mealy fruits ripen between August and October.

The evergreen dwarf shrub with red berries was mentioned in English herbal books as early as the 13th century - and back then in connection with the treatment of urinary tract infections. However, this knowledge was lost again. From then on there were only isolated reports about the medicinal effects of bearberry leaves. It was used for tanning, dyeing black or as an admixture to tobacco. The North American Indians called it “kinnikinnick” and smoked it during tribal rituals and to drive away spirits of illness. In the 19th century, bearberry made its real breakthrough as a treatment for urinary tract infections. The actual antibacterial mechanism of action was only elucidated between the 1970s and the 2000s. Today, bearberry leaves are certified to have positive benefits for urinary tract infections in numerous monographs (scientific summaries from official committees that assess benefits and risks).^2,3,4,5

Trojan horse hunts bacteria: This is how bearberry leaves work

When the Trojans found a huge wooden horse in front of their gates, they were initially happy about the gigantic gift, without knowing that the soldiers hidden inside would defeat them shortly afterwards. The bearberry leaves provide a similar “Trojan horse”. The active ingredient arbutin it contains is converted in the body into compounds that enter the bladder via urine. There they are absorbed by the E. coli bacteria. So far it seems to be a really tasty gift for the bacteria. But then an enzymatic breakdown of the absorbed substances takes place in the bacterium itself and free hydroquinone is produced, which destroys the bacteria from the inside out. The highlight: The active ingredient is only created in the bacterium - this protects the body and fights the bacteria.