LECTURE 3

Herbal Remedy For Kidney Disorders & To Help Rid The Kidneys 

Use of Herbal Supplements in Chronic Kidney Disease

As a chronic kidney disease (CKD) patient, you may have considered the use of herbal products to assist you with various health concerns. This fact sheet will give you some information to enable you to make decisions regarding your use of herbs.

Use of herbal supplements may be unsafe for CKD patients, since your body is not able to clear waste products like a healthy person. There are some facts about herbs that every CKD patient should know:

Very few herbs have been studied in CKD patients. What may be safe for healthy persons may not be safe for someone with CKD, and in fact, could be dangerous. Therefore, you need to be very cautious about your use of these products.

The government does not regulate herbal supplements, so the exact content of these products is unknown.

Without regulation, there are no requirements for testing, so the purity, safety and effectiveness of the products are unknown.

Herbal preparations are subject to contamination (may contain toxic heavy metals such as lead or mercury).

Products may contain minerals harmful to CKD patients, for example: potassium.

Some herbs that may serve as diuretics may also cause “kidney irritation” or damage. These include bucha leaves and juniper berries. Uva Ursi and parsley capsules may have negative side effects as well.Many herbs can interact with prescription drugs. A few examples are St. Johns Wort, echinacea, ginkgo,

garlic, ginseng, ginger, and blue cohosh. Transplant patients are especially at risk, as any interaction

between herbs and medications could potentially put them at risk for rejection or losing the kidney. It is

important to ask your doctor and/or pharmacist about any herbs or medicines you want to take to avoid

potential problems.

Herbs that may be toxic to the kidneys

Artemisia absinthium (wormwood plant)

Periwinkle

Autumn crocus Sassafras

Chuifong tuokuwan (Black Pearl)

Tung shueh

Horse chestnutVandelia cordifolia

Herbs that may be harmful in chronic kidney disease

AlfalfaBuckthorn

Ginger NettleVervain

AloeCapsicum

Ginseng

Noni juice

 

Bayberry

CascaraHorsetail

Panax  

Blue Coltsfoot Licorice Rhubar  

Cohosh b

BroomDandelion

Mate Senna  

Polycystic Kidney Disease - Ayurvedic Herbal Treatment

Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is an autosomal dominant, genetic disorder characterized by the growth of numerous cysts in the kidneys. Common symptoms include pain in the back and sides; headaches; urinary tract infections; hematuria; liver and pancreatic cysts; abnormal heart valves; high blood pressure; kidney stones; aneurysms in the brain; and diverticulosis in the colon.

The Ayurvedic treatment of this condition is aimed at treating symptoms,

preventing complications and prolonging life. Medicines like Triphala-Guggulu, Panch-Tikta-Ghrut-Guggulu, Maha-Manjishthadi-Qadha, Saarivadi-Churna, Kuber-Vati, Varunadi-Qadha, Punarnavadi-Guggulu and Kanchnaar-Guggulu are used to treat the cysts. These medicines help to reduce the number and size of the cysts.

Herbal medicines like Punarnava (Boerhaavia diffusa), Manjishtha (Rubia cordifolia), Saariva (Hemidesmus indicus), Gokshur (Tribulus terrestris), Haritaki (Terminalia chebula), Amalaki (Emblica officinalis), Haridra (Curcuma longa), Daruharidra (Berberis aristata), Nimba (Azadirachta indica), Rasna (Pluchea lanceolata), Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia), Deodar (Cedrus deodara), Vishwa (Zinziber officinalis), Erandmool (Ricinis communis), Apamarga (Achyranthus aspera), Shalparni (Desmodium gangeticum), Prushnaparni (Uraria picta), Varun (Crataeva nurvala),

Latakaranj (Caesalpinia crista), Kachnaar (Bauhinia variegata), Patol (Tricosanthe dioica) and Patha (Cissampelos pareira) can also be used for this purpose. Medicines like Varun and Latakaranj form the mainstay of treatment for this condition, and can be used equally well to treat polycystic ovaries.

Most patients having pain get relief with the above mentioned medicines due to shrinking of the cysts. Infection and bleeding in the cysts can be treated using medicines like Sukshma-Triphala, Gokshuradi-Guggulu, Punarnavadi-Qadha, Laxadi-Guggulu, Vasa (Adhatoda vasaka), Naagkeshar (Messua ferrea), Laxa (Purified wax) and Sphatik-Bhasma. High blood pressure can be treated using medicines like Sarpagandha (Rauwolfia serpentina), Jatamansi (Nardostachys jatamansi), Sutshekhar-Ras, Dhamasa (Fagonia cretica), Arjun (Terminalia arjuna), Mandukparni (Centella asiatica) and Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera).

Kidney stones can be treated using medicines like Hazrul-Yahud-Bhasma, Pashan-Bhed (Bergenia ligulata), Yava-Kshar and Mulak-Kshar.

Other associated conditions like valvular heart disease, aneurysms and diverticulosis need to be treated separately using appropriate medicines like Trayodashang-Guggulu, Laxmi-Vilas-Ras, Arjunarishta, Kutaj-Parpati and Panchamrut-Parpati. Most patients having multiple, large-sized cysts usually progress to end-stage kidney failure, which can be prevented or treated using medicines like Chandraprabha-Vati, Saarivadi-Churna, Maha-Manjishthadi-Qadha, Punarnavadi-Qadha, Gokshuradi-Guggulu and Gomutra-Haritaki.Ayurvedic medicines, given in combination with modern treatment, can thus help to control the symptoms of PKD, improve the quality of life and prolong survival for people affected with this condition. All such patients should be under the regular care and supervision of an Urologist.

S. No

Herb Used

English Name

Latin Name

Quantity

.

1. Trin Panch Mool

5 Grass Roots

Salacia oblonga

30 gm

2 Varun Caper Crataeva nurvala

30 gm

3. Palaash Forest Flame

Butea monosper

ma

30 gm

4. Punarnava

Hogweed

Boerrhavia diffusa

20 gm

5. Gokshur

Puncture wine

Tribulus terrestris

20 gm

6. Rakt Chanda

n

Red Sandalw

ood

P. santalinu

s

30 gm

7. Shigru Drum Sticks

Moringa oleifera

20 gm

8. Apamar Chaff Achyrant 10 gm

g Flower hes aspera

9. Shirish Mimosa tree

Albezzia lebbock

10 gm

Mutrakrichantak herbal mixture is one of the best herbal remedies for kidney failure. It brings down urea and creatinine levels quickly. This makes it an excellent herbal product for kidney care and avoid dialysis. The various herbs in Kidney support are described in ancient texts and are very effective to regenerate kidney cells or failing nephrons. It helps in normalizing the filter function of the kidney and make kidney support as one of the best herbal remedies for kidney care.