ALPINE CRANBERRY (Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.)

ALPINE CRANBERRY (Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.) ++

With at least 10 common names available in the USDA online, you’d think that an herbal desk
reference intended for American physicians would use 1 of these 10. But no, PH2 went with
alpine cranberry. USDA suggests cowberry, foxberry, lingberry, lingen, lingenberry, lingon,
lingon berry, mountain cranberry, and rock cranberry (not to mention the German, Preiselbeere).
DEM goes with lingonberry and mountain cranberry. Even two of the alternatives offered by
PH2 were not listed by USDA (e.g., alpine cranberry and whortleberry). Thank goodness for
scientific names.
Activities (Alpine Cranberry) — Antiherpetic (1; HH2); Antiseptic (1; PH2); Antiviral (1; PH2);
Astringent (f; HHB; HH2); Cyclooxygenase-Activator (1; HH2); Cytotoxic (1; HH2); Fungicide
(1; HHB); Urinary Antiseptic (1; PH2).
Indications (Alpine Cranberry) — Bleeding (1; HHB); Calculus (f; PH2); Cancer (f; JLH);
Cancer, breast (f; JLH); Childbirth (f; HHB); Cold (f; DEM); Cough (f; DEM; HHB); Diarrhea
(1; HHB; HH2); Flu (1; HH2); Fungus (1; HHB); Gout (f; PH2); Herpes (1; HH2); Infection (1;
HHB; PH2); Inflammation (1; HH2); Mastosis (f; JLH); Mycosis (1; HHB; HH2); Respirosis (f;
HHB); Rheumatism (f; PH2); Sore Throat (f; DEM); Stone (f; PH2); Swelling (f; HH2); Urethrosis
(f; HH2); UTI (f; PH2); Virus (1; PH2).
Dosages (Alpine Cranberry) — 2 g/cup tea (PH2).
Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects (Alpine Cranberry) — Contraindicated in
pregnancy, nursing, and in children under 12 years of age. Since the urinary antisepsis depends
on an alkaline environment, acidifying herbs should be avoided (PH2). At 5 g/kg orl cat, the
leaves cause the same intoxication as a toxic dose of hydroquinone (HH2). Liver damage could
occur with long-term use or overdose, due to possible hepatotoxicity of the hydroquinones
released. Hydroquinone intoxication, apparently roughly dose dependent, may occur with many
Ericaceae, proportionate to their hydroquinone content. Without comparative analysis, we may
even add the warning to other blueberries, cranberries, and bearberries.

Extracts (Alpine Cranberry) — Should we be pleased or disenchanted that three flavonoids in
this species increases cyclooxygenase activity? Anthocyanins and polyphenols in berries of several
Ribes, Rubus, and Vaccinium species have in vitro antiradical activity on chemically generated
superoxide radicals. The extracts also inhibit xanthine oxidase. All crude extracts were highly active
toward chemically generated superoxide radicals. Ribes nigrum extracts exhibited most activity,
being the richest in both anthocyanins and polyphenols. But Ribes rubrum extracts seem to contain
more active substances. (X1332092)

Related Posts