Description of plants
Low, perennial shrub with knotty stems, up to 50 cm tall, tough stems and crawling roots. The young leaves are ovate with a short stalk and finely serrated at the edge. Individual flowers are found in the axils of the leaves. The flowers are round-bell-shaped and light pink in color. The fruit is a juicy, black-and-blue pea-sized berry that ends in a circular recess at the top.
Use
The fruit is an excellent remedy against diarrhea, intestinal catarrh, inflammation of the mucous membranes. It is also widely used in cooking. The leaf is used to help with urination and is part of anti-diabetic tea blends.
Collection
The leaves are collected before the fruits ripen and dried in a shady and airy place. The fruits are collected in summer, after ripening, and dried in the sun.
