Omnia SanaPlant Comparison
Bearberry vs Cleavers
A side-by-side comparison of two medicinal plants — every documented constituent, action, use, safety note and cited source, assembled automatically from the Omnia Sana database.
At a glance
Bearberry and Cleavers: they share 6 indicated uses (cancer (anticancer research), infection (general), skin irritation, …); 2 pharmacological actions in common.
Evidence face-off — shared uses
| Condition | Bearberry | Cleavers | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cancer (anticancer research) | 2/10 | 2/10 | Comparable evidence |
| Infection (general) | 6/10 | 1/10 | Stronger for Bearberry |
| Skin irritation | 1/10 | 1/10 | Comparable evidence |
| Urinary support | 6/10 | 1/10 | Stronger for Bearberry |
| Urinary tract infection (UTI) | 6/10 | 1/10 | Stronger for Bearberry |
| Wounds | 6/10 | 1/10 | Stronger for Bearberry |
Evidence scores (1–10) are computed from the tier of each cited source. “Comparable” means the two scores are within one point. Follow a score to its detailed sources.
Key Constituents
Hydroquinone glycoside; hydrolysed and excreted as antibacterial hydroquinone in the urine.
Up to ~20%; responsible for the astringency and for gastric irritation at high doses.
Characteristic Rubiaceae iridoids shared with related bedstraws, contributing to the plant's traditional activity.
Antioxidant constituents supporting the plant's antimicrobial and wound-healing activity.
Astringent constituents contributing to the traditional topical use for skin and wounds.
Pharmacological Actions
Arbutin, the hydroquinone glucoside characteristic of bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi), shows antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic activity across multiple cancer types (preclinical).
Antibacterial in the urinary tract (arbutin is converted to antibacterial hydroquinone, favoured by alkaline urine); Urinary antiseptic for mild, uncomplicated lower urinary tract infection / cystitis (short-term)
Traditional & Indicated Uses
The bearberry constituent arbutin suppresses osteosarcoma proliferation, migration and invasion via miR-338-3p/MTHFD1L and AKT/mTOR inactivation, and has documented anticancer potential against bladder, breast, colon, liver and other cancers (preclinical).
Urinary antiseptic for mild, uncomplicated lower urinary tract infection / cystitis (short-term)
inferred from astringent action
inferred from urinary-antiseptic action
Antibacterial in the urinary tract (arbutin is converted to antibacterial hydroquinone, favoured by alkaline urine); Urinary antiseptic for mild, uncomplicated lower urinary tract infection / cystitis (short-term)
inferred from anticancer action
inferred from antimicrobial action
inferred from emollient action
inferred from diuretic action
inferred from diuretic action
inferred from diuretic action
Safety, Cautions & Contraindications
Short-term use only: not for more than 1 week at a time and not more than about 5 times per year. If symptoms persist beyond ~4 days, worsen, or are accompanied by fever, blood in the urine or pain, seek medical care.
Contraindicated in pregnancy and breastfeeding and not for use in children or adolescents under 18 years.
Duke (2002) describes cleavers as a diuretic, lymph tonic, and depurative with experimental support (score 1). The plant has been used in traditional medicine for swollen lymph nodes, urinary complaints, and skin conditions. Diuretic and anti-inflammatory activities are supported experimentally. No Commission E approval. Safety rating is ++ (relatively safe), with no known significant contraindications at usual herbal doses (Duke, 2002).
External Ids
Botanical Description
Low, mat-forming evergreen shrub with trailing, woody stems that root as they spread. The leaves are small, leathery, spatula-shaped (spoon-shaped), glossy dark green above and paler beneath, with a smooth, untoothed margin and a rounded tip. Small, urn-shaped, pink-and-white flowers hang in short clusters in spring, followed by bright red, mealy berries.[11]
Scrambling, sprawling annual herb covered in tiny hooked bristles on its square stems, leaves and seed capsules, allowing it to cling to clothing, fur and neighbouring plants as it climbs ('stickyweed'). The leaves are narrow and lance-shaped, borne in whorls of six to eight. Tiny white, four-petalled flowers give way to small, round, bristly-hooked twin seed capsules ('goosegrass burrs').[6]
Habitat
Grows on dry, acidic, sandy or rocky ground in open woodland, heath, moorland and mountain slopes across the northern hemisphere (Europe, Asia and North America), often in exposed, cold, upland or subarctic sites.[11]
A common scrambling weed of hedgerows, waste ground, gardens and field margins, climbing over other vegetation for support; native to Europe, Asia and North Africa and widely naturalised elsewhere.[6]
Harvesting
The leaves are gathered in autumn to early spring (outside the flowering and fruiting season), when arbutin content is at its highest, and dried carefully to preserve the glycoside.[11]
The whole aerial plant (leaf, stem and seed) is cut in spring to early summer, before the fruit fully hardens, and used fresh (as juice) or dried.
Traditional Uses
Bearberry leaf is a long-established European folk and official (EU herbal monograph) remedy for mild, uncomplicated lower urinary tract infections and cystitis, used short-term as a urinary antiseptic; it has also been used traditionally as an astringent for mild diarrhoea.[11]
Cleavers has a long European folk history as a lymphatic and diuretic 'spring tonic' herb, traditionally used to support the urinary system and lymphatic drainage, and topically as a soothing, emollient wash or poultice for skin irritation, wounds and minor swellings.[6]
Preparations
Dried leaf macerated in cold water for several hours, which extracts less tannin (reducing gastric irritation) than a hot infusion; the preferred traditional preparation.
Dried leaf infused or lightly decocted in hot water; alkalinising the urine (e.g. with dietary measures) is traditionally recommended alongside use, since arbutin's antibacterial action requires alkaline urine.
Dosage
The EU herbal monograph describes traditional use of about 3 g dried leaf per cup, up to four times daily, for no more than one week at a time and no more than about five times a year. Educational reference only, not a prescription.
Not documented
References
Lookalikes Review
Dangerous Lookalikes
Not documented
References & Sources
- Dell'Annunziata, F. and Cometa, S. and Della Marca, R. and Busto, F. and Folliero, V. and Franci, G. and Galdiero, M. and De Giglio, E. and De Filippis, A (2022) 'In Vitro Antibacterial and Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Arctostaphylos uva-ursi Leaf Extract against Cutibacterium acnes', Pharmaceutics, 14(9), pp. 1952. doi:10.3390/pharmaceutics14091952 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics14091952 - de Arriba, S.G. and Naser, B. and Nolte, K.U (2013) 'Risk assessment of free hydroquinone derived from Arctostaphylos uva-ursi folium herbal preparations', International Journal of Toxicology, 32(6), pp. 442-453. doi:10.1177/1091581813507721 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1177/1091581813507721 - Kravchenko, G. and Krasilnikova, O. and Raal, A. and Mazen, M. and Chaika, N. and Kireyev, I. and Grytsyk, A. and Koshovyi, O (2022) 'Arctostaphylos uva-ursi L. leaves extract and its modified cysteine preparation for the management of insulin resistance: chemical analysis and bioactivity', Natural Products and Bioprospecting, 12(1), pp. 30. doi:10.1007/s13659-022-00352-1 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1007/s13659-022-00352-1 - Sugier, P. and Seczyk, L. and Sugier, D. and Krawczyk, R. and Wojcik, M. and Czarnecka, J. and Okon, S. and Plak, A (2021) 'Chemical Characteristics and Antioxidant Activity of Arctostaphylos uva-ursi L. Spreng. at the Southern Border of the Geographical Range of the Species in Europe', Molecules, 26(24), pp. 7692. doi:10.3390/molecules26247692 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26247692 - Sugier, P. and Seczyk, L. and Sugier, D (2022) 'Variation in Population and Solvents as Factors Determining the Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Potential of Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (L.) Spreng. Leaf Extracts', Molecules, 27(7), pp. 2247. doi:10.3390/molecules27072247 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27072247 - Panusa, A. and Petrucci, R. and Marrosu, G. and Multari, G. and Gallo, F.R (2015) 'UHPLC-PDA-ESI-TOF/MS metabolic profiling of Arctostaphylos pungens and Arctostaphylos uva-ursi. A comparative study of phenolic compounds from leaf methanolic extracts', Phytochemistry, 115, pp. 79-88. doi:10.1016/j.phytochem.2015.01.002 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phytochem.2015.01.002 - Hudek Turkovic, A., Gunjaca, M., Marjanovic, M., Lovric, M., Butorac, A., Rasic, D., Peraica, M., Vujcic Bok, V., Sola, I., Rusak, G. and Durgo, K (2022) 'Proteome changes in human bladder T24 cells induced by hydroquinone derived from Arctostaphylos uva-ursi herbal preparation', Journal of Ethnopharmacology, pp. 2022. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2022.115092 Traditional / reference
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2022.115092 - Beaux, D. and Fleurentin, J. and Mortier, F (1999) 'Effect of extracts of Orthosiphon stamineus Benth, Hieracium pilosella L., Sambucus nigra L. and Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (L.) Spreng. in rats', Phytotherapy Research, 13(3), pp. 222-225. doi:10.1002/(SICI)1099-1573(199905)13:3<222::AID-PTR447>3.0.CO;2-P Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1099-1573(199905)13:3<222::AID-PTR447>3.0.CO;2-P - Seczyk, L. and Sugier, D. and Sugier, P (2024) 'Effect of the Type of Herbal Preparations (Powdered Plant Material vs. Dry Ethanolic Extracts) on the Bioaccessibility of Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (L.) Spreng.) Phytochemicals in Simulated Digestion Conditions', Molecules, 29(24), pp. 5968. doi:10.3390/molecules29245968 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29245968 - Wrona, M. and Blasco, S. and Becerril, R. and Nerin, C. and Sales, E. and Asensio, E (2018) 'Antioxidant and antimicrobial markers by UPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS of a new multilayer active packaging based on Arctostaphylos uva-ursi', Talanta, 196, pp. 498-509. doi:10.1016/j.talanta.2018.12.057 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.talanta.2018.12.057 - European Medicines Agency (HMPC) (2018) 'European Union herbal monograph on Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (L.) Spreng., folium (Uvae ursi folium)'. Available at: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/herbal/uvae-ursi-folium Traditional / reference
https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/herbal/uvae-ursi-folium - Braga, V.C.C., Pianetti, G.A. and Cesar, I.C (2020) 'Comparative stability of arbutin in Arctostaphylos uva-ursi by a new comprehensive stability-indicating HPLC method', Phytochemical Analysis, 31(6), pp. 884--891. doi:10.1002/pca.2953 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1002/pca.2953 - Qin, D., Liu, J., Guo, W., Ju, T., Fu, S., Liu, D. and Hu, G (2024) 'Arbutin alleviates intestinal colitis by regulating neutrophil extracellular traps formation and microbiota composition', Phytomedicine. doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2024.155741 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phymed.2024.155741 - ESCOP (European Scientific Cooperative on Phytotherapy) (n.d.) 'Uvae ursi folium (Bearberry Leaf) monograph', pp. com. Available at: https://www.escop.com/downloads/bearberry-leaf/ Traditional / reference
https://www.escop.com/downloads/bearberry-leaf/ - Zhang, B., Zeng, M., Li, B., Kan, Y., Wang, S., Cao, B. and others (2021) 'Arbutin attenuates LPS-induced acute kidney injury by inhibiting inflammation and apoptosis via the PI3K/Akt/Nrf2 pathway', Phytomedicine. doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2021.153466 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phymed.2021.153466 - Nahar, L. and Al-Groshi, A. and Kumar, A. and Sarker, S.D (2022) 'Arbutin: Occurrence in Plants, and Its Potential as an Anticancer Agent', Molecules, 27(24), pp. 8786. doi:10.3390/molecules27248786 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27248786 - Wang, C.-Q. and Wang, X.-M. and Li, B.-L. and Zhang, Y.-M. and Wang, L (2020) 'Arbutin suppresses osteosarcoma progression via miR-338-3p/MTHFD1L and inactivation of the AKT/mTOR pathway', FEBS Open Bio, 11(1), pp. 289-299. doi:10.1002/2211-5463.13024 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1002/2211-5463.13024 - Gagyor, I., Hummers, E., Schmiemann, G., Friede, T., Pfeiffer, S., Afshar, K. and Bleidorn, J (2021) 'Herbal treatment with uva ursi extract versus fosfomycin in women with uncomplicated urinary tract infection in primary care: a randomized controlled trial', Clinical Microbiology and Infection, 27(10), pp. 1441--1447. doi:10.1016/j.cmi.2021.05.032 Randomized trial
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmi.2021.05.032 - Moore, M., Trill, J., Simpson, C., Webley, F., Radford, M., Stanton, L. and others (2019) 'Uva-ursi extract and ibuprofen as alternative treatments for uncomplicated urinary tract infection in women (ATAFUTI): a factorial randomized trial', Clinical Microbiology and Infection, 25(8), pp. 973--980. doi:10.1016/j.cmi.2019.01.011 Randomized trial
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmi.2019.01.011 - ScienceDirect Topics (pharmacognosy) 'Arctostaphylos Uva-Ursi - an overview'. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/arctostaphylos-uva-ursi Traditional / reference
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/arctostaphylos-uva-ursi - North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox 'Buxus sempervirens (Common Boxwood)'. Available at: https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/buxus-sempervirens/ Traditional / reference
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/buxus-sempervirens/
- Laanet, P.R., Saar-Reismaa, P., Jõul, P., Bragina, O. and Vaher, M (2023) 'Phytochemical Screening and Antioxidant Activity of Selected Estonian Galium Species', Molecules, 28(6), pp. 2867. doi:10.3390/molecules28062867 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28062867 - Antoniak, K., Studzińska-Sroka, E., Szymański, M., Dudek-Makuch, M. et al (2023) 'Antiangiogenic, Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Properties of Bidens tripartita Herb, Galium verum Herb and Rumex hydrolapathum Root', Molecules, 28(13), pp. 4966. doi:10.3390/molecules28134966 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28134966 - Razzivina, V., Vasiljeva, A., Kronberga, A., Skudrins, G. et al (2024) 'Phenolic Content and Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Cultivated and Wild-Type Galium odoratum Extracts in Murine Bone Marrow-Derived Macrophages', Antioxidants (Basel), 13(12), pp. 1447. doi:10.3390/antiox13121447 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox13121447 - Sahin, B., Karabulut, S., Filiz, A.K., Ozkaraca, M., Gezer, A. and Akpulat, H.A (2022) 'Galium aparine L. protects against acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in rats', Chemico-Biological Interactions, 366, pp. 110119. doi:10.1016/j.cbi.2022.110119 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbi.2022.110119 - Lee, S.Y., Park, S.Y. and Park, H.J (2024) 'Immuno-Enhancing Effects of Galium aparine L. in Cyclophosphamide-Induced Immunosuppressed Animal Models', Nutrients, 16(5), pp. 597. doi:10.3390/nu16050597 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16050597 - Beirami, A.D., Akhtari, N., Noroozi, R., Hatamabadi, D., Hasan, S.M.F. and Ayatollahi, S.A (2024) 'Bringing back Galium aparine L. from forgotten corners of traditional wound treatment procedures: an antimicrobial, antioxidant, and in-vitro wound healing assay along with HPTLC fingerprinting study', BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies, 24(1), pp. 279. doi:10.1186/s12906-024-04355-y Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-024-04355-y - Ilina, T., Kashpur, N., Granica, S., Bazylko, A., Shinkovenko, I. and Kovalyova, A (2019) 'Phytochemical Profiles and In Vitro Immunomodulatory Activity of Ethanolic Extracts from Galium aparine L', Plants, 8(12), pp. 541. doi:10.3390/plants8120541 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/plants8120541 - Atmaca, H., Bozkurt, E., Cittan, M. and Dilek Tepe, H (2016) 'Effects of Galium aparine extract on the cell viability, cell cycle and cell death in breast cancer cell lines', Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 186, pp. 305-310. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2016.04.007 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2016.04.007 - Bokhari, J., Khan, M.R., Shabbir, M., Rashid, U., Jan, S. and Zai, J.A (2012) 'Evaluation of diverse antioxidant activities of Galium aparine', Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy, 102, pp. 24-29. doi:10.1016/j.saa.2012.09.056 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.saa.2012.09.056 - Shi, G., Liu, J., Zhao, W., Liu, Y. and Tian, X (2016) 'Separation and purification and in vitro anti-proliferative activity of leukemia cell K562 of Galium aparine L. petroleum ether phase', Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal, 24(3), pp. 241-247. doi:10.1016/j.jsps.2016.04.005 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsps.2016.04.005 - Quinlan, F.J (1883) 'Galium Aparine as a Remedy for Chronic Ulcers', British Medical Journal, 1(1172), pp. 1173-1174. doi:10.1136/bmj.1.1172.1173 Traditional / reference
https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.1.1172.1173 - British Herbal Medicine Association (1983) 'British Herbal Pharmacopoeia'. Traditional / reference
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=British%20Herbal%20Pharmacopoeia - Hoffmann, D (2003) 'Medical Herbalism: The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine'. Traditional / reference
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Medical%20Herbalism%3A%20The%20Science%20and%20Practice%20of%20Herbal%20Medicine - Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (n.d.). Available at: https://powo.science.kew.org Traditional / reference
https://powo.science.kew.org - Duke, J.A (2002) 'Handbook of Medicinal Herbs, Second Edition'. Traditional / reference
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Handbook%20of%20Medicinal%20Herbs%2C%20Second%20Edition
Generated automatically from the Omnia Sana plant database and its cited sources. For educational purposes only — not medical advice. Always consult a qualified practitioner before using medicinal plants.