1 Answer

Uses
       Ethnobotanic: The bark of high bush cranberry yields a powerful antispasmodic (whence the origin of one its American common names, cramp bark). The water-soluble preparation (containing a bitter compound called viburnine) has been used for relief of menstrual and stomach cramps and asthma. The antispasmodic properties apparently were discovered independently by European, Native American, and Asian peoples. The action of this agent from high bush cranberry closely resembles that of black haw (Viburnum prunifolium).

http://plants.usda.gov/plantguide/pdf/cs_viopa2.pdf

Uses: Berries are a popular wild food. Juice from the berries is also used medicinally to treat high blood pressure and urinary tract infections. The bark is a powerful anti-spasmodic used to treat muscle cramps.

http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/sustaining_forests/conserve_enhance/special_products/maine_ntfp/plants/cranberryhighbush/