Uvae ursi folium

Dried leaves of bearberry used phytotherapeutically.

HMPC - Mon ograph: Traditional-use: Inflammatory diseases of the urinary tract

ESCOP - Mon ograph: Uncomplicated inflammatory diseases of the urinary tract (e.g. cystitis) when treatment with antibiotics is not necessary

Commission E-monograph: Inflammatory diseases of the urinary tract.

The quality of bearberry leaves (Uvae-ursi folium) is specified in the European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.).

Empirical medicine: Irritable bladder, bedwetting

Efficacy-determining ingredients are:

• at least 6% hydroquinone glycosides (especially arbutin and methylarbutin)
• flavonoids
• Tannins (gallotannins)
• Flavongylcosides
• Triterpenes(ursolic acid) and others.

Antibacterial against numerous pathogenic microorganisms and fungi. The hydroquinone glycoside is hydrolyzed in the body to hydroquinone, which in turn is conjugated to glucuron and sulfuric acid. In the draining urinary tract, under the influence of bacteria, the conjungate is deconjugated, hydroquinone is released and then has a bacteriostatic effect.

Bacteriostatic

According to Commission E: Bacterial urinary tract infections

No use in adolescents under 18 years of age according to HMPC monograph. No use during pregnancy and in nursing mothers.

Nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain-.

Local applications of extracts from Uvae ursi folium lead to an inhibition of melanogenesis (hydroquinone effect).

Hypersensitivity to the active substance

Kidney disease

The fixed combination bearberry leaves+goldrod+orthosiphon leaves consists of:

• Uvae ursi folium (bearberry leaves)
• Solidaginis herba (goldenrod)
• Orthosiphonis folium (Orthosiphon leaves)

It has an anti-inflammatory, slightly antispasmodic, bacteriostatic effect in an alkaline environment, promotes urinary excretion and is used as a support in inflammatory diseases of the urinary tract.

Another fixed combination consists of:

• Uvae ursi folium (bearberry leaves)
• Solidaginis herba (goldenrod)

and is available on the market as Cystinol® N solution.

Bladder Kidney Tea Uroflux® vegetable tea, Bladder Kidney Tea Uroflux® tea infusion powder, Fugacid® bladder tea, Hernia tea, Hevert Bladder Kidney Tea, NB tea Siegfried®, Nephronorm® tea, Solefort® N, Uro Fink®.

1. Christ B et al. (1961) A photometric method for the determination of methylarbutin in bear-grape leaves (folia uvae ursi)]. Drug Research 11:129-131.
2. de Arriba SG et al. (2013) Risk assessment of free hydroquinone derived from Arctostaphylos Uva-ursi folium herbal preparations. Int J Toxicol 32:442-453.
3. Schindler G et al (2002) Urinary excretion and metabolism of arbutin after oral administration of Arctostaphylos uvae ursi extract as film-coated tablets and aqueous solution in healthy humans. J Clin Pharmacol 42:920-927.
4. Wenigmann M. (2017) Phytotherapy medicinal drugs, phytopharmaceuticals, application. Urban & Fischer, pp.74-75