Uva Ursi (Bearberry): UTI Trials, Limits and Safety
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Uva Ursi (Bearberry Leaf): half-life, strengths and approval status

Amounts studied · Approval status · Half-life notes

What is uva ursi?

Uva ursi (bearberry, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) is a plant whose leaves contain arbutin and other hydroquinone derivatives, used for mild bladder infections. Two randomized trials in women with urinary tract infections did not show it worked as well as standard care.

Also known as: bearberry, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, bearberry leaf.

Amounts studied

A German trial used 105 mg tablets, 2 tablets 3 times a day for 5 days (Gágyor 2021). The EU monograph limits use to 1 week. These are study protocols, not a recommendation.

Approval status and how it is used

It is sold in the US as a dietary supplement. Under the 1994 dietary supplement law (DSHEA), FDA does not approve dietary supplements before they are marketed, and the maker, not FDA, is responsible for safety and labeling. In the EU, bearberry leaf has a traditional-use monograph for symptoms of mild, recurrent lower urinary tract infections in adult women, only after a doctor has ruled out serious conditions, for no longer than 1 week; it is not recommended for men or anyone under 18 (EMA). EMA bases this on long-standing ("traditional") use: there is not enough evidence from clinical trials, but the effect is plausible and the herb has been used safely this way for at least 30 years, including at least 15 years in the EU. EMA notes no clinical studies have used bearberry leaf on its own.

What studies show: in a UK trial of 382 women with a urinary tract infection, all given a backup antibiotic prescription, uva ursi did not ease urinary frequency or cut antibiotic use compared with placebo (Moore 2019). In a German trial of 398 women, starting with uva ursi instead of the antibiotic fosfomycin cut antibiotic courses by about 64%, but symptoms were worse and 8 women developed a kidney infection, compared with 2 on fosfomycin (Gágyor 2021).

Safety: EMA says not to use it with kidney disorders and does not recommend it in pregnancy or breastfeeding. Reported side effects are nausea, vomiting and stomach ache, and urine may turn greenish-brown. EMA notes adequate genotoxicity tests have not been done.

Uva ursi half-life and time to peak

  • Half-lifeNot listed
  • Time to peak (Tmax)Not listed

We could not find a single published half-life or time to peak for uva ursi that applies to a supplement dose, so we do not list one. Plant extracts are mixtures of many compounds, so no single figure would describe them.

How to track uva ursi in Dose Track

  1. Add uva ursi as a custom compound. Start typing its name and Dose Track fills in the details from its research library for you to check, and it sits next to everything else you take.
  2. Log each dose when you take it so your history shows exactly what you took and when.
  3. Set reminders on your own schedule, whether that is daily, weekly or every few days.
  4. Your log is stored on your phone and no account is needed. Data only leaves it for features you choose, like AI answers and lab reading.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the half-life of uva ursi?+
We could not find a single published half-life or time to peak for uva ursi that applies to a supplement dose, so we do not list one. Plant extracts are mixtures of many compounds, so no single figure would describe them.
Does uva ursi treat urinary tract infections?+
Not as well as antibiotics in trials. In a German trial, women who started with uva ursi used fewer antibiotics but had worse symptoms and more kidney infections than women given fosfomycin. A UK trial found no benefit over placebo.
How long can uva ursi be used?+
The EU monograph says no longer than 1 week, only in adult women, and not with kidney disorders, in pregnancy or while breastfeeding.
Can I track uva ursi in Dose Track?+
Yes. Uva ursi is in Dose Track's research library, so when you add it as a custom compound its details are filled in for you to check. You can then log each dose next to your other compounds, set reminders on your own schedule, and see your history next to your lab results. Your log is stored on your phone and no account is needed. Data only leaves it for features you choose, like AI answers and lab reading.

Sources

  1. European Medicines Agency, HMPC. European Union herbal monograph on Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (L.) Spreng., folium, revision 2 (EMA/HMPC/750269/2016, adopted January 30, 2018), and bearberry leaf summary for the public.
  2. Moore M, et al. Uva-ursi extract and ibuprofen as alternative treatments for uncomplicated urinary tract infection in women (ATAFUTI): a factorial randomized trial. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2019;25(8):973-980.
  3. Gágyor I, et al. Herbal treatment with uva ursi extract versus fosfomycin in women with uncomplicated urinary tract infection in primary care: a randomized controlled trial. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2021;27(10):1441-1447.
  4. FDA. Questions and answers on dietary supplements.

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