Uva Ursi (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) Extract from Hawaii Pharm

Uva ursi is an evergreen berry-producing bush. The leaves are the part used medicinally in this tincture. It is also known as bearberry, Kinnikinick, pingüica, gayuba, and uva de oso. Uva ursi is used to treat UTIs (urinary tract infections) and also to treat bladder infections, urinary incontinence, kidney infection, and inflammation in the urinary tract. It has an astringent (drying) effect on tissues and helps flush out toxic bacteria. Uva ursi may be valuable in the treatment of yeast infections (Candida albicans) as well. Only take uva ursi over the short term. Take the recommended dosage for up to 5 days, and then take a break of at least 1 week (if you need to use it for more time, that's fine, but don't use it continuously throughout the year, stop taking it as soon as you recover). Use caution if you have high blood pressure, liver disease, kidney disease, or serious digestive issues. Do not use if you are taking lithium as uva ursi may cause levels of lithium to build up in the blood (reaching potentially toxic levels). Also avoid use of uva ursi if you are taking NSAIDs or corticosteroids. Do not take uva ursi if you're pregnant as it may induce labor. The plant is also not safe for children, and lactating mothers should avoid using it while breastfeeding (because some constituents of uva ursi may make it into a woman's breastmilk, and these constituents may be toxic to babies and young children, it should be avoided).