Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)

Other names: grape, foxglove, wild blackberry, bear's grape, bearberry, bearberry, bearberry, polar bear, toadflax

The bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi), also known as grape hawkweed, foxglove, wild blackberry, bear's grape, bearberry, bearberry, polar bear, or toadflax, is a perennial green shrub that is distributed mainly in the northern elevations of North America, and rarely in Europe and Asia. This medicinal plant is characterised by its beautiful pink flowers, which appear in spring, and small red fruits, which have a characteristic but mild taste. Its name is derived from medieval Latin and means 'bear grape', referring to the fact that bears are very fond of this plant.

Bearberry is mainly used in medicine. Its leaves contain substances such as arbutin, flavonoids, tannins or organic acids, which have strong antiseptic effects. Therefore, they are often used in the treatment of the urinary tract, where they help fight bacteria and inflammation. Furthermore, dried leaves of bearberry are part of tea blends intended for the treatment of rheumatism. Bearberry is also used in the cosmetics industry. Its extract is often added to creams and face masks, as it is proven to help smooth fine lines and improve skin elasticity. Due to its antioxidant properties, it also helps fight skin aging. Most commonly, however, bearberry is used in pharmaceuticals for the production of various drugs and medicines.