Is the Arbutus Plant the Secret to Better Health?

The arbutus plant stands with the bear in Madrid’s shield, the capital of Spain: this is the city’s symbol. Dioscorides already knew about the plant in the 1st century A.D. and also by the Roman naturalist Plinius, who said about it, “Unum edo” (I eat one), from which the species Latin name, undo, was born.

The fruits of the arbutus plant can ferment when still on the tree and then contain up to 0.5 percent alcohol. This fact gave birth to a curious Hispanic name for this tree: “borrachin,” which means “drunkard.”

Arbutus Plant Scientific Facts

1. French: Arbre aux fraises.
2. Spanish: Madrono.
3. Environment: Holm oak woods and low mountains of Mediterranean Europe, also known in some regions of Central and South America.
4. Description: This is an evergreen shrub of the Ericaceae family, growing from two to three meters high. Its white or green flowers grow in clusters. The fruit is a berry, red when ripe.
5. Parts of the plant used medicinally: The fruits, the leaves, and the bark.

Healing Properties and Uses

The fruit of the arbutus plant contains sugar, organic acids, pectin, and tannin. It has astringent properties, and it is not recommended to abuse it. The leaves and the tree’s bark contain up to 36 percent tannin, which gives them strong astringent properties, and arbutin, a glycoside with antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties on the urinary system. They are used for urinary infections, cystitis, renal calculi, colic, diarrhea, and dysentery.

WARNING! The ripe fruit of arbutus can achieve a level of alcoholic content since the fermentation process can start even while they are still hanging from the tree. Because of this fact, and given their astringent properties, not more than a handful of berries per day should be eaten.

How to use Arbutus

1. The fruit is consumed fresh or in jellies or marmalades.
2. Decoction with dry leaves and bark, 30 grams per liter of water. Drink two or three cups daily for urinary afflictions and four or five for diarrhea.

DISCLAIMER: All content on this website is presented solely for educational and informational objectives. Do not rely on the information provided as a replacement for advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a qualified medical expert. If you are pregnant, nursing, or have any preexisting medical concerns, talk to your doctor before using any herbal or natural medicines.

REFERENCES

1. George D. Pamplona-Roger, M.D. “Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants.” George D. Pamplona-Roger, M.D. Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants. Ed. Francesc X. Gelabert. vols. 2 San Fernando de Henares: Editorial Safeliz, 2000. 563. Print.
2. Carvalho, M., Jerónimo, C., Valentão, P., Andrade, P. B., & Silva, B. M. (2010). Arbutus unedo L. and its benefits on human health. Journal of food and nutrition research, 49(2), 53-65. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/235662925_Arbutus_unedo_L_and_its_benefits_on_human_health
3. Neto, C. C. (2007). Cranberry and its phytochemicals: a review of in vitro anticancer studies. The Journal of nutrition, 137(1), 186S-193S. [invalid URL removed] (Note: potential overlap in active compounds, but more research is needed specific to arbutus)
4. Oliveira, I., Coelho, V., Baltasar, R., Pereira, J. A., & Baptista, P. (2011). Scavenging capacity of strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.) leaves on free radicals. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 49(7), 1504-1511. [invalid URL removed]
5. Gruenwald, J., Brendler, T., & Jaenicke, C. (2000). PDR for herbal medicines (pp. 30-32). Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics.
6. Katsambas, A. D., & Antoniou, C. (1995). Arbutin and its cosmetic applications. Clinics in dermatology, 13(4), 347-348. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7554515/
7. Jouad, H., Maghrani, M., Eddouks, M., & Haloui, M. (2002). Hypoglycaemic effect of aqueous extract of Arbutus unedo in non-diabetic and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Journal of Herbal Medicine and Toxicology, 14(3). (Note: Animal study, more human-specific research needed)