Berries and leaves of lingonberry with cystitis: medicinal properties

If you choose medicinal plants rather than pills for the treatment of bladder infections, the question arises of the effectiveness of the latter. For example, does lingonberry help with cystitis?

Lingonberry cystitis treatment

It has been proven that lingonberry - a plant of the Vaccinium vitis-idaea family of heather, is justifiably used for infections of the urinary organs, primarily in the treatment of cystitis (inflammation of the bladder), as well as kidney problems. Moreover, not berries are used, but Folium Vitis idaeae - lingonberry leaves for cystitis, and they (in dried form) can be found in any pharmacy. [1]

The medicinal properties of lingonberries with cystitis are due to biologically and pharmacologically active substances that are part of the leaves of this plant. Their main therapeutic actions in cases of inflammation of the bladder or urethra are associated with phenolic compounds - flavonols and simple phenols, including:

• flavonoids with disinfecting properties and antimicrobial activity, such as arbutin or vaccine (hydroquinone glycoside); astragaline (flavonol kempferol glucoside); quercetin (rutin aglycon), isoquercetin and hyperoside (quercetin galactoside);
• polyphenolic flavonoids catechin, epicatechin, catechin gallate;
• hydroxycinnamic phenolcarboxylic acids in the form of ferulic and p-coumaric acids, as well as coffee and caffeyl-3-quinic (chlorogenic) acids, which have a detrimental effect on bacteria in vivo;
• phenol-containing tannins (tannins) - procyanidins, proanthocyanidin and cinnamtannin, which exhibit both antioxidant and antibacterial activity.

There are also triterpenic acids in the leaves - ursolic and oleanolic acids, which enhance the antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties of plant leaves. 

Thanks to this combination of active substances, the lingonberry leaf is not only a diuretic (diuretic), but also has an antibacterial effect on the main uropathogens, including Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris, Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus. [2]

How to brew lingonberries with cystitis?

A lingonberry broth with cystitis is prepared based on one tablespoon of a dry leaf per 200-250 ml of water. Leaves are poured with boiling water and boiled in a sealed enameled bowl (over low heat) for a quarter of an hour. Half an hour after the end of cooking, the broth should be filtered and poured with boiling water to the original volume. After cooling, the broth is ready.

The second option is to cook lingonberry infusion with cystitis, which differs from the broth in that it is not boiled. The easiest way is to make an infusion in a thermos: if it is 0.5-liter, then you need to put two tablespoons of leaves, pour cool boiling water and close the thermos for 5-6 hours. To treat acute cystitis, such an amount of infusion for an adult is enough for two days (they store the infusion in the same thermos).

How to take lingonberry leaves for cystitis?

How to drink lingonberry with cystitis? Urologists and phytotherapists recommend taking the entire amount of the prepared broth (200-250 ml) during the day - three to four times a few sips or a third of a glass three times a day, until the symptoms disappear. Take infusion in the same way.

In order to maximize the therapeutic effect of the biologically active components of lingonberry leaves, experts advise to use medicinal-table hydrocarbonate (alkaline) mineral water (Luzhansky, Polyana Kvasova, Polyana Kupel, Borjomi, etc.) at the same time as a decoction.

It should be borne in mind that the presence of  recurrent cystitis in women , as well as bacteriuria  or  hematuria detected during urine tests,   are not a contraindication for the use of herbal products, but as adjunctive in complex therapy using systemic antibiotics prescribed by the attending physician.

It should also be borne in mind that - in addition to the diuretic - a lingonberry decoction has a hypotensive effect. Therefore, low blood pressure is a relative contraindication for the use of lingonberries. It is also not recommended to treat cystitis with cranberry leaf with individual intolerance,  [3] increased acidity of gastric juice, chronic renal failure and diarrhea. Do not use it for children under 12 years of age.

And can cranberries be used for cystitis during pregnancy, read in the publications:

• Lingonberry during pregnancy
• Cystitis during pregnancy

By the way, lingonberry with cystitis acts similarly to bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva ursi), which is also part of the heather family and has the same healing properties. [4]