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158 herbs, nutrients, and compounds. What the science says, what tradition knew, and what to watch for. Founding members keep this running.

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GUT HEALTH

Uva Ursi

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi

also known as bearberry

Uva Ursi — Köhler 1887 botanical illustration

A low-growing evergreen shrub whose name means 'bear's grape' in Latin — bears do eat the red berries, but the leaf is the part used medicinally. One of the oldest documented urinary tract herbs in European medicine, working through a compound that becomes active only when the urine is alkaline.

Traditional and modern use as a urinary tract antiseptic — for urinary tract infections and inflammation
Active ingredient (arbutin) becomes hydroquinone in alkaline urine, which has antimicrobial action
Mild diuretic action
Approved by Germany's Commission E for inflammation of the urinary tract
Best taken with foods that alkalinize the urine — pairing with sodium bicarbonate or dietary changes is traditional
Effects build over days, not minutes — not appropriate for severe or worsening infections

Limit continuous use to 1 to 2 weeks — long-term use can stress the liver and kidneys

Skip in children under 12 — limited safety data

Skip during pregnancy and nursing — can affect uterine activity and may pass to nursing infants

Skip with kidney disease

Can cause greenish-brown urine — harmless but startling

High doses can cause nausea, vomiting, and ear ringing

Active urinary infections that don't improve in a couple of days, or that have fever or back pain, need medical evaluation — not all UTIs respond to herbal antimicrobials, and untreated kidney infection is serious

Use caution with NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen) — both can irritate the urinary tract

Vitamin C and acidic foods reduce uva ursi effectiveness — alkaline urine is needed for the conversion

Memorial Sloan Kettering About Herbs · EMA Herbal Medicinal Product Monographs · American Botanical Council HerbMedPro · Memorial Sloan Kettering About Herbs · EMA Herbal Medicinal Product Monographs · American Botanical Council HerbMedPro

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