What Is UVA Ursi Used for?

Uva ursi is a common name for the plant Arctostaphylos uva-ursi. Other names include bearberry, arbutus, kinnikinnick and manzanita. The plant is a woody shrub whose leaves stay green on the bush for one to three years. It has white or pink and white flowers and orange-red berries. It grows worldwide in northern latitudes and some high altitude areas. In a few areas it is endangered or absent from its natural territory.

Active Compounds

• Little research has been conducted on uva ursi, especially in humans. It is known that uva ursi leaves contain the chemical arbutin, which, when digested in human stomach acids, become hydroquinone. The leaves also contain ursolic acid and isoquercetin, which are both mild diuretics. Research published in the German medical journal Planta Medica showed that arbutin and uva ursi leaf extracts both have mild antimicrobial properties. Research conducted in Finland and published in Farmatsiia demonstrated that liquid concentrate of uva ursi leaf extract was antiseptic and diuretic.

Water Retention

• Uva ursi is an active ingredient in many herbal diuretics (water pills). Arbutin, ursolic acid and isoquercetic are diuretic, and arbutin is also astringent (squeezes water from mucous membranes).

Urinary Tract Infections

• The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants calls uva ursi "one of the best natural urinary antiseptics." The German Commission on Herbal Medicines includes it "for inflammatory disorders of the lower urinary tract." These disorders include bladder infections and inflammation (cystitis).

  The University of Maryland Medical Center states, "Researchers believe that for it [uva ursi] to be most effective, a person's urine needs to be alkaline---acid destroys the herb's antibacterial effect." This means you should not consume acidic food or drinks, including tomatoes, orange juice, cranberry juice, or lemonade while taking uva ursi for a urinary tract infection.

Dermatitis

• According to four research studies conducted at the University of Tokyo and listed in Drugs.com, arbutin extracted from uva ursi may help the steroids prednisolone and dexamethasone work better against contact dermatitis (skin rashes due to contact with a poison or allergen).

Arthritis

• When combined with prednisolone and dexamethasone, uva ursi may also make the drugs work better against arthritis symptoms.

Skin Lightening

• Hydroquinone extracted from uva ursi inhibits production of melanin, the pigment that makes skin dark. It is used in skin-lightening creams in Asia. However, hydroquinone skin lighteners are considered highly toxic and are banned in the United States.

Warning

• Don't use uva ursi if you are pregnant, nursing, or have kidney disease. Don't give it to children. Don't take it for more than seven to 10 days at a time. Talk with your doctor or a licensed herbologist before taking uva ursi for any condition, especially if you are using corticosteroids or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin or ibuprofen.

  Uva ursi has been known to produce these common side effects:
  green urine
  stomach pain
  nausea and vomiting
  ringing ears

  Uva ursi-based compounds taken in large doses have been known to cause these rare, but serious side effects:
  cyanosis (blue skin from lack of oxygen)
  convulsions
  loss of consciousness
  death