Cramp Bark

Scientific Name(s): Viburnum opulus L., Viburnum opulus var. edule, Viburnum opulus var. sargentii (Koehne) Takeda, Viburnum opulus var. opulus, Viburnum opulus var. americanum (Miller) Ait.
Common Name(s): American cranberry bush, Common snowball, Cramp bark, Cranberry bush, Cranberry tree, Dagdagan, European cranberry bush, Gilaboru, Gilaburu, Gildar, Gilgili, Guelder rose, High cranberry, Highbush cranberry, Pimbina, Snowball bush, Squaw bush

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Mar 22, 2022.

Clinical Overview

Use

Folk uses for cramp bark include treatment of asthma, the common cold, heart disease, hypertension, digestive conditions, kidney disorders and diuresis, neurosis, and painful menstruation, and prevention of miscarriage. No clinical trials are available to support these uses.

Dosing

Clinical studies are lacking to provide dosing guidance.

Contraindications

Contraindications have not yet been identified.

Pregnancy/Lactation

Information regarding safety and efficacy in pregnancy and lactation is lacking.

Interactions

None well documented.

Adverse Reactions

No data.

Toxicology

No data.

Scientific Family

• Caprifoliaceae (honeysuckle)

Botany

V. opulus is a large deciduous shrub often grown ornamentally for its attractive white flowers, berries, and fragrance. European cranberrybush (V. opulus var. opulus [formerly V. opulus var. roseum]) is found throughout northeastern, eastern, western, and central Europe, as well as in eastern and western Siberia; American cranberry bush (V. opulus var. americanum [formerly V. opulus var. ssp trilobum [Marshall] R.T. Clausen]) is native to the United States and Canada. The variant sargentii (formerly V. opulus var. calvescens [Rehder] H. Hara) is 1 of 80 Viburnum spp. native to China and is also endemic to Korea and Japan.Cesoniené 2012, Wang 2008, Yilmaztekin 2015 The American variety of V. opulus (previously known as V. trilobatum) grows to 8 to 12 feet in height and has edible red berries that are much less bitter than the European variety; it is native to moist low places such as swampy woods, bogs, lake margins, and pastures.Missouri Botanical Garden 2016, USDA 2016 An extensive study regarding the botany and pharmacognosy of Viburnum, specifically the American variety, was published in 1932.Youngken 1932 The trunk and root bark are the traditionally used plant parts; however, attributes of the fruits have received attention.

History

The fruits of V. opulus have been used in folk medicine for a wide range of conditions, including the common cold, heart disease, digestive problems, and neurosis.Cesoniené 2012 The American variety was used by the Iroquois for prolapsed uterus after childbirth,Brinker 1998 and other tribes recognized its use as a diuretic.Youngken 1932 In Canada, the fruits are a popular substitute for cranberries and in Russia, Siberia, and the Ukraine, they are used in drinks, sauces, and cakes.Cesoniené 2012 In Turkey, the fermented fruit juice of European cranberrybush is known as "gilaburu"; in the middle Anatolian region, this traditional drink is considered useful for kidney disorders, menstrual and stomach cramps, hypertension, asthma, digestion problems, and the common cold.Yilmaztekin 2015 During the Eclectic medical movement in the 19th century, cramp bark was adopted for treatment of stomach cramps and dysmenorrhea, and to p...