Bearberry is a shrub with recumbent oblong stems. It grows in North America, the European part of Russia, the Far East and Siberia. It is very rare in the non-chernozem zone and in the Caucasus. In folk medicine, bearberry is used to prepare infusions, teas, and decoctions that have antiseptic, astringent, anti-inflammatory and diuretic effects. With proper preparation, you get a he althy drink that has a beneficial effect on he alth, which we will talk about in this article.
What is the use of bearberry?
Bearberry leaves are a source of a large amount of nutrients and the main source of phenols and phenol glycosides. Shrub shoots contain up to 20% arbutin. In addition, flavonoids, phenolcarboxylic acids, iridoids, quinic and formic acids, up to 35% of tannins, a small amount of essential oil, macro- andtrace elements.
The leaves of the plant contain: 2-O and 6-O-galloylarbutins, hydroquinone, iceoside and methylarbutin. Bearberry leaves are also rich in ursulic and oleic acids. Contains uvaol, α- and β-amirin, lupeol, erythrodiol, catechins, cyanidin and delphinidin.
Application
Common bearberry has a unique chemical composition that helps the body fight colds, effectively cope with bladder diseases. The plant is used successfully in gynecology for bleeding, has a beneficial effect on the body with asthma. As a pain reliever for rheumatism. In many diseases, as a sedative, an infusion of bearberry leaves is recommended. Pharmacognosy is developing new ways to use this drug for medicinal purposes.
Bearberry improves intestinal motility, stimulates the gastrointestinal tract and is successfully used in liver diseases. An infusion of bearberry is recommended for malaria and tuberculosis, as well as for heart failure and diabetes. In Tibetan medicine, bearberry is used for heartburn, anemia, alcoholism, gastritis, and also as an anthelmintic and tonic. The flowers of the plant also have medicinal properties. They are used to treat diseases of the heart and blood vessels in adults, and visual disorders in children.
Bearberry in cosmetology
- For skin cleansing. Bearberry effectively fights age spots.
- For weight loss. Bearberry is a well-known diuretic. It promotes not onlyweight loss, but also the removal of oxidation products during diets and starvation.
- For oily hair. Bearberry tincture effectively fights hair loss, normalizes hair nutrition and prevents split ends.
- To get rid of edema. In this case, alcohol tincture is preferred as it contains less liquid.
- For the healing of ulcers and wounds. As a powerful disinfectant and bactericide, bearberry decoction (recipe below) helps protect wounds from infection and speeds up the healing process.
- To prevent skin aging. Bearberry contains a large amount of antioxidants, due to which it is widely used in cosmetology against drying and aging of the skin, the appearance of wrinkles.
General strengthening properties of bearberry
- strengthens the immune system and helps restore strength;
- safely and gently cleanses the body;
- has antipyretic effect;
- fights against prostatitis by restoring urination and relieving inflammation;
- pain reliever;
- relieves breathing problems;
- effective in hypertensive crises.
Bearberry tea
The tea recipe from this plant has been known for a long time. Today it is recommended to replace it with infusion. But this is due, first of all, to the fact that bearberry releases tannins and tea can cause irritation of the gastric mucosa. Nevertheless, the tea recipe is very useful and is successfully used in treatment. Important to know: tea frombearberry leaves are not recommended for children and people with gastritis. In this case, it is better to prepare jelly (compote) from the fruits of the plant, which improve intestinal motility and gently affect the body.
First of all, tea is used as a uroseptic in diseases of the urinary system. The beneficial effect of tea is due to the fact that the active substances affect the urinary organs. Due to its diuretic properties, bearberry tea not only disinfects the kidneys, but also literally flushes them.
In addition, tea has:
- pain relief;
- eliminates breathing problems;
- reduces nausea;
- relieves ringing in the ears.
Plant action
Bearberry tea is effective for:
- pyelonephritis;
- cystitis;
- urethritis;
- for gynecological diseases: vaginitis, cervicitis, etc.;
- in complex treatment for prostatitis.
Possessing diuretic properties, bearberry washes sand with a tendency to crystallize in the kidneys. Urine does not stagnate and s alts are not deposited - this prevents stone formation. However, it must be borne in mind that if there are already stones in the kidneys, then their exit into the ureters is possible, which will inevitably lead to renal colic. Therefore, patients with urolithiasis should be careful with herbal uroseptics. It is necessary to periodically undergo an ultrasound examination and be underdoctor's supervision.
With caution, bearberry (photo above) is used for inflammation of the kidneys, as this can aggravate the disease. The use of bearberry tea in this case is undesirable. Many people know the fact that preparations with tannins are very useful for diarrhea. Despite the fact that this substance is in excess in bearberry, it is better not to use it with loose stools. First, tea can irritate the intestines and lead to spasms. Secondly, bearberry has a diuretic effect, which will aggravate the situation with dehydration.
In the treatment of gynecological diseases, bearberry tea is effective in douching. But it must be borne in mind that many symptoms (for example, leucorrhea) accompany diseases that require serious treatment.
Tea Brewing Technology
The classic way
Ingredients: two glasses of water and one tablespoon of bearberry.
How to cook: Pour the bearberry with the specified amount of liquid, and boil for half an hour. Drink like regular tea.
With this method, tannins are released from the leaves and, accordingly, the side effect also increases. In particular, it can lead to irritation of the kidneys, intestines and mucous membranes, uterus and bladder.
Best option
Ingredients: a glass of boiling water and a teaspoon of bearberry.
How to make: Boiling bearberry leaves for a long time makes tea tasteless and unappetizing. Therefore, it is better to prepare the infusion like this - pour teaa spoonful of leaves with a glass of boiling water. Day to insist and strain. Drink, slightly heated, a third of a glass. It is recommended to drink tea three times a day.
With this method of preparation, side effects are rare. When drinking bearberry tea, preference should be given to plant and dairy foods. It promotes leaching. The fact is that hydroquinone is released from arbutin only in an alkaline environment. For the same purpose, you can add a little baking soda to tea.
Bearberry (bear's ear) is often used in herbal preparations. It should be borne in mind that each component of the mixture affects the body only in interaction with each other. Therefore, in the manufacture of fees, it is better to strictly adhere to the recipe.
Herbal Mix
Bearberry is combined with various herbs, which significantly increases its medicinal properties, and saturates decoctions and infusions with additional micro and macro elements. Also, this method allows you to get rid of the side effects that the plant can cause in its pure form. To weaken them, bearberry is added to herbal preparations.
Infusion with parsley seeds and celandine
Ingredients: 200 ml of water, 80 g of bearberry, 20 g of celandine and the same amount of parsley. You can make an infusion without celandine: in this case, you need 40 g of parsley and 60 g of bearberry.
How to cook: pour a tablespoon of herbal mixture with hot water in the amount indicated above. Infuse for 6 hours, then boil for 10 minutes. Strain the infusionand drink in two doses.
Wild Rose Fruit Infusion
Ingredients: nettle, bearberry, wild rose fruit, plantain and St. John's wort. Take herbs in equal amounts (in grams).
How to cook: mix the ingredients. Three tablespoons of the mixture pour ¾ cup of water. Boil the infusion for 5 minutes and leave for 20 minutes. Infusion, divided into three parts, drink before meals.
This infusion is especially recommended for chronic cystitis. Drink for six months. Take a break of 2 weeks between courses.
Infusion with motherwort
Ingredients: bearberry and motherwort in equal amounts, 500 ml of water.
How to cook: Pour two tablespoons of the mixture with half a liter of water. Boil the infusion in a water bath until its amount is reduced by three times. Strain and drink 50 ml of medicine.
Effective for nerve problems.
Corn Silk Infusion
Ingredients: equal amounts of bearberry and corn silk (in grams), 250 ml of water.
How to cook: pour a tablespoon of the mixture with water and boil over medium heat for 15 minutes. Divide the broth into equal portions and drink a day.
This collection is recommended for cystitis. Therefore, when you need to alleviate the condition with this disease, it is wiser to stop at this recipe.
Healing potions recipes
Decoction of bearberry leaves
Ingredients: 1 tbsp. a spoonful of bearberry and 250 ml of water.
How to cook: chop the leaves (you canusing a coffee grinder), pour into a metal bowl and pour water. Keep half an hour in a water bath and strain.
If after straining the broth the contents have decreased (and this will inevitably happen), you need to add boiled hot water to it to get a full glass of broth (250 ml). Let the broth stand for fifty minutes. Drink a decoction of bearberry (description of the preparation method above) in a tablespoon after meals. Preferably three times a day. In a similar way, a decoction is prepared for children, only initially, together with a tablespoon of a dry leaf, they take a teaspoon of leaves. A decoction of bearberry prepared in this way can be drunk for two days, after which a fresh decoction can be brewed.
Infusion of bearberry
Ingredients: 1 tbsp. spoons of bearberry and 250 ml of boiled water.
How to cook: Pour water over bearberry leaves and leave in a warm room for 12 hours. Then strain and drink in the same way as a decoction. After a day, prepare a new infusion. With this method, more useful substances will be preserved.
Alcohol tincture
Ingredients: 2 tbsp. spoons of bearberry, 100 ml of 40% ethyl alcohol.
How to cook: pour the leaves of the plant with alcohol and leave for two weeks. Then strain the tincture and drink after meals (15 - 20 drops). It is recommended three times a day). Effective tincture for chronic cystitis.
Contraindications
Infusions and decoctions prepared from bearberry should be taken with great care. They are not shown to everyone and are unsafe. ATwhen will you need to look for another treatment?
- With inflammation of the kidneys.
- During pregnancy.
- While breastfeeding.
- For allergies.
- Children under 12.
Treatment with this plant can also cause side effects:
- dry mouth;
- nausea and vomiting;
- diarrhea.
When using infusions and decoctions of bearberry, urine sometimes turns green. But don't be afraid of it. This is a natural reaction. Consumption of infusions (decoctions) of bearberry in excess can lead to irritation of the urinary tract and gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, long-term use of these drugs is undesirable. In this case, a break of one to two weeks is necessary.
Self-treatment of any disease is dangerous. It is reasonable to use traditional medicine recipes only after consulting with your doctor. The doctor will examine the tests, prescribe an effective course of therapy and supplement it with medicinal herbs.
