What Is Uva Ursi Used For, and Can You Take It Every Day?

Uva ursi is an herb that is used to treat disorders of the excretory system. You shouldn't take uva ursi every day.

Bears love the fruit of the uva ursi (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi). Also known as bearberry, uva ursi is a creeping shrub that grows primarily in the northern part of North America. Native Americans called it kinnikinnick and added its dried leaves to tobacco used for smoking. They also knew that uva ursi had diuretic qualities, which could increase urine flow. Today some people use uva ursi as a treatment for urinary tract infections (UTIs). 

In traditional or herbal medicine, uva ursi has been used to treat disorders of the excretory system, including:

• Pain upon urinating
• Cystitis, an inflamed bladder
• Urethritis, an inflammation of the urethra, the tube that carries urine out of the body
• Stones in the kidney or bladder
• Sluggish urine flow
• Constipation

In modern times, uva ursi is primarily used for UTIs. Some dietary supplements include it, claiming that it can promote weight loss, increase energy, and provide other benefits. 

Urinary tract infections are bacterial infections of either the bladder or the kidney. Most UTIs affect the bladder. Those that affect the kidney are more serious. Bladder infections typically cause:

• Pain or burning with urination
• Increased frequency of urination
• Having the urge to urinate when the bladder is empty or nearly empty
• Blood in the urine
• Heaviness or cramping in the lower abdomen

If your infection is in the kidney rather than the bladder, you may also have a fever, chills, back or side pain, and nausea or vomiting. 

UTIs are one of the most common reasons women see doctors. The chance of a woman having a bladder infection in any  year is about 10%. 

Women have more UTIs than men because their urethras are shorter, and it's easier for germs to get into their bladders. Also, the openings to their bladders are closer to their rectums, the source of some germs.

Doctors usually prescribe antibiotics for UTIs. Around 93% of women who see their doctors for UTIs receive antibiotics. But many infections are resistant to antibiotics. Around 50% of UTI bacterial cultures show that the bacteria are resistant to amoxicillin, for example. 

Some health experts believe we need to reduce our use of antibiotics for some illnesses. Some doctors who treat respiratory illnesses delay the use of antibiotics to see if they are really necessary. It's possible we could also treat UTIs without antibiotics. 

In studies, some women's UTIs have gone away without treatment. But an untreated UTI can travel to the kidneys, causing a more serious problem. That's why most doctors still prescribe antibiotics despite the problem of antibiotic resistance. 

In some areas, a preparation made from uva ursi leaves is an accepted treatment for UTIs. In Germany, it is available by prescription. In England, you can buy it over the counter. 

Data showing the effectiveness of uva ursi in treating UTIs is scarce. One trial involved 398 women with UTIs, some receiving antibiotic treatment and some treated with uva ursi. Some women avoided antibiotic use by taking uva ursi, but their symptoms were more troublesome. Also, more women in the uva ursi group developed kidney infections, although the number was small.

Uva ursi contains arbutin, methyl arbutin, and hydroquinone, which have antibacterial qualities and reduce inflammation.

Uva ursi also contains tannins, which have astringent qualities. They can tighten mucous membranes and other tissues, reducing inflammation and fighting infection.  

According to some researchers, uva ursi seems more effective if taken as soon as a UTI is suspected.

You shouldn't take uva ursi every day. You may be able to buy uva ursi marketed as a dietary supplement with instructions to take it daily. Doctors don't recommend taking uva ursi daily because hydroquinone can cause liver damage. To avoid problems, take it for five days or less. Tell your doctor if you take uva ursi. Don't take it more than five times a year, and don't exceed the recommended dose. 

Medicines derived from plants may be natural, but that doesn't mean they are safe. You should use herbal medicines with the same care you give to other medicines. 

In the United States, the government treats most herbal preparations as food, not medicine. The FDA doesn't regulate them in the same way it regulates other medicines. The government doesn't test herbal products to see if they are safe or whether they work. 

Some people shouldn't take herbal medicines such as uva ursi. These individuals include:

• Older people and children
• Those with severe health conditions, especially liver or kidney disease
• People preparing for surgery
• Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding

If you take other medicines, you should know drug interactions are possible with herbal preparations. Also, herbal medicines could keep the other drugs you take from working properly.

If you want to avoid frequent doses of antibiotics, you could try uva ursi for a UTI. Talk to your doctor first, and follow all the guidelines given on the package. Don't take uva ursi for other purposes, and don't take uva ursi every day.