Although herbal medicines are seen as natural, it does not necessarily mean that they are safe.

Healthcare professionals are increasingly caring for kidney patients who have suffered further damage, or even death, through the use of herbal remedies. Some are especially dangerous if you have chronic renal failure or are on renal-replacement therapies. The problem is that their uninformed use carries the risk of both drug-herb and herb-herb adverse interactions as well as any direct toxic effects on your kidneys.

So if you are thinking about taking a herbal remedy, discuss this with your nurse, pharmacist or doctor first.

At present, the licensing laws governing herbal medicines are limited. So, too, is the information available to healthcare professionals and patients on the adverse effects and contraindications of the herbs available. Herbal remedies are readily available over the counter from a variety of sources -- such as supermarkets, health-food shops or via mail-order -- but you are unlikely to find a qualified healthcare professional available to advise you about their suitability and associated risks.

We are not advocating that all herbal remedies should be avoided, but recommend the following:

		Standardisation and statutory legislation governing the licencing and marketing of these products.
		Information sources set up for both healthcare professionals and the public enabling informed decisions to made about herbal remedies' values and risks.

There is a need for greater awareness by both healthcare professionals and the public of the potential benefits and risks of herbal remedies.

Nephronline.org is working on such a database but, until it becomes widely available, here are some commonly used herbal medicines which may affect kidney function.

Aristolochia		A constituent of dieting products. It is well known to cause direct kidney damage, including fatalities. This product is now banned in the UK
Asparagus		Taken for reported diuretic (water tablet) action and to prevent kidney stones, asparagus been reported to cause irritation of renal epithelial tissues.
Cat's Claw		Commonly taken for rheumatic symptoms, cat's claw has been reported to cause severe kidney damage.
Cranberry Juice		Has been recommended for treatment/prevention of water infections (cystitis), Cranberry Juice has been implicated in the development of kidney and bladder stones.
Ginko Biloba		Believed to improve breathing in asthmatics, Ginko Biloba has been implicated in reducing the ability of the blood to clot, and should be avoided if you are taking warfarin or are on haemodialysis.
Juniper Berry		Taken for heartburn, gastritis, ulcers, or as a diuretic (water tablet), Juniper Berry may cause kidney damage.
St John's Wort		Commonly taken for its anti-depressive and wound-healing properties, St John's Wort is well known to interact with cyclosporin and tacrolimus, reducing their efficacy and leading to potential rejection of your transplant.

These are just a few of the herbal remedies that we know are of particular importance to kidney patients.

 

We are creating a database that will be accessible by clicking on nephronline.org to identify those herbal medicines which have kidney-specific implications for your well-being.

Look out for the next update of nephronline to view the Herbal Medicine Database