kinnikinnick
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi · Accepted scientific name
Scientific literature: Very Extensive (801 studies) · ★★★★★
Kinnikinnick, scientifically known as Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, is a hardy, evergreen creeping shrub native to northern temperate regions. Renowned in traditional herbalism, its leaves contain arbutin, a compound frequently utilized for its potent antiseptic and diuretic properties, particularly in supporting urinary tract health and managing various bladder-related conditions.
Names
Common Names
- bearberry
- mealberry
- sandberry
- bear-grape
- hog-cranberry
- mountain-box
- upland-cranberry
- uva-ursi
- barren myrtle
- bear's grape
- bear's whortleberry
- bear-berry
- burren myrtle
- hog crawberry
- kinnickinnick
- mountain box
- pinemat manzanita
- rapper dandies
Regional and Traditional Names
Spanish:
- Uva ursina
- Muxes
- Mearrera
- Engarrolla
- Abugués
- Revellones
- Manzanicas de pastor
- Gaúlla
- Agaúva
- Gayumina
- Galluva
- Zumaque blanco espanol
- Gallua
- Algayua
- Bujarola
- Gaoya
- Abugues
- Gaulla
- Agauva
- gayuba
German:
- Echte Bärentraube
- Immergrüne Bärentraube
- Bärentraube
- Immergrüne Bärentraube
- Immergruene Baerentraube
- Echte Bärentraube
French:
- Raisin d'ours
- Busserolle
- Busserole
- Arctostaphylos uva ursi
- arctostaphyle raisin-d'ours
- busserole
- raisin d'ours
- raisin d'ours commun
- arbousier busderole
- bousserole
- Arbousier traînant
- Busserole commune
- Busserole raisin-d'ours
Scientific Names
Accepted name
Arctostaphylos uva-ursiSynonyms
- Mairania uva-ursi
- Mairrania uva-ursi
- Uva-ursi procumbens
- Uva-ursi procumbens var. adenotricha
- Uva-ursi procumbens var. coactilis
- Arctostaphylos crassifolia
- Arctostaphylos uva-ursi f. stipitata
- Arctostaphylos uva-ursi var. angustifolia
- Arctostaphylos officinalis
- Arctostaphylos uva-ursi var. leobreweri
- Uva-ursi buxifolia
- Arctostaphylos procumbens
- Arctostaphylos uva-ursi var. crassifolia
- Arctostaphylos uva-ursi var. adenotricha
- Arctostaphylos uva-ursi var. crassifolius
- Arctostaphylos uva-ursi subsp. adenotricha
- Arctostaphylos uva-ursi f. adenotricha
- Arctostaphylos uva-ursi var. alba
- Arctostaphylos uva-ursi var. coactilis
- Arctostaphylos uva-ursi subsp. coactilis
- Arctostaphylos uva-ursi f. coactilis
- Arctostaphylos uva-ursi f. heterochroma
- Arctostaphylos uva-ursi subsp. crassifolius
- Arctostaphylos uva-ursi var. fendleriana
- Arctostaphylos uva-ursi f. leobreweri
- Arctostaphylos uva-ursi subsp. longipilosa
- Arctostaphylos uva-ursi f. longipilosa
- Arctostaphylos uva-ursi var. marinensis
- Arctostaphylos uva-ursi f. marinensis
- Arctostaphylos uva-ursi subsp. monoensis
- Arctostaphylos uva-ursi subsp. stipitata
- Arctostaphylos uva-ursi var. stipitata
- Arctostaphylos uva-ursi var. suborbiculata
- Arctostaphylos uva-ursi f. suborbiculata
- Arctostaphylos uva-ursi var. pacifica
- Arctostaphylos adenotricha
- Arbutus uva-ursi
- Arbutus officinalis
- Arbutus buxifolia
- Daphnidostaphylis fendleriana
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Moving through the subclass Magnoliidae and order Ericales, it is a member of the family Ericaceae. Finally, its specific taxonomic identity is established within the genus Arctostaphylos.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Ericales | WCVP |
| Family | Ericaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Arctostaphylos | WCVP |
Distribution
This plant, known as Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, exhibits a specific distribution across several regions in Northern Europe. It can be found growing in the natural landscapes of Denmark. Additionally, its presence is documented throughout the territories of Finland. The species also inhabits various parts of Great Britain. Finally, its geographical range extends to the islands of Iceland and Ireland.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | Denmark | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Finland | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Great Britain | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Iceland | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Ireland | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Norway | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Sweden | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Austria | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Czechia-Slovakia | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Germany | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, commonly known as bearberry, utilizes various components for its therapeutic applications. The primary medicinal part used is the Folium uvae-ursi, which refers specifically to the dried leaves of the species. While the leaves are the most frequent source of active compounds like arbutin, the roots are also recognized as a constituent part of the plant that can possess medicinal properties. In pharmaceutical preparations, water extracts of these botanical elements are often utilized to create decoctions or standardized formulations for treating urinary tract infections.| Plant Part | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| leaf | Plants (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| root | Marine pollution bulletin (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi has 110 reported phytochemicals identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include arbutin, hydroquinone, CU, Hyperoside, OLEANOLIC ACID.
| Chemical | Supporting sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| arbutin | 6 supporting sources | ★★★☆☆ |
| hydroquinone | 4 supporting sources | ★★☆☆☆ |
| CU | 2 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Hyperoside | 2 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| OLEANOLIC ACID | 2 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| TANNIC ACID | 2 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Tannins | 2 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Ursolic acid | 2 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| myricetin | 2 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| (+)-Catechol | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
arbutin
- Dr. Duke
- Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
- Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
- Current issues in molecular biology
- Journal of chromatography. B, Biomedical sciences and applications
View 1 additional sources
- Frontiers in pharmacology
hydroquinone
- Dr. Duke
- Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
- Ukrainskii biokhimicheskii zhurnal (1978)
- Journal of chromatography. B, Biomedical sciences and applications
CU
- Marine pollution bulletin
- Acta poloniae pharmaceutica
Hyperoside
- Dr. Duke
- Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
OLEANOLIC ACID
- Dr. Duke
- Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
TANNIC ACID
- Dr. Duke
- FEMS microbiology letters
Tannins
- Eksperimental'naia i klinicheskaia farmakologiia
- FEMS microbiology letters
Ursolic acid
- Dr. Duke
- Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
myricetin
- Dr. Duke
- Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
(+)-Catechol
- Dr. Duke
Activities
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi has 623 reported activities identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Diuretic, Antibacterial, Antiseptic, Cytotoxic.
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| Antioxidant | Dr. Duke (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Diuretic | Dr. Duke (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Antibacterial | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiseptic | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Cytotoxic | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Disinfectant | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 11B-HSD-Inhibitor | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 5-Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ACE-Inhibitor | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| AP-1-Inhibitor | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi has 13 reported medicinal uses identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Arcobacter butzleri, Helicobacter pylori, Urinary tract infections, acne, acne vulgaris.
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| Arcobacter butzleri | Current microbiology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Helicobacter pylori | FEMS microbiology letters (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Urinary tract infections | Current issues in molecular biology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| acne | Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| acne vulgaris | Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| colitis | Frontiers in pharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| colon cancer | Ecotoxicology and environmental safety (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| colorectal cancer | Ecotoxicology and environmental safety (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| diuretic effect | Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hyperglycemia | Molecular medicine reports (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Preparations
| Preparations | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| Gurgem-7 | Ecotoxicology and environmental safety (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| botanical extracts | Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| extracts | Microbiological research (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| medicinal teas | Die Pharmazie (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| roots | Marine pollution bulletin (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| water extract | Ukrainskii biokhimicheskii zhurnal (1978) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| water extracts | Antonie van Leeuwenhoek (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |