Does herbal treatment cause kidney failure

DOES HERBAL TREATMENT CAUSE KIDNEY FAILURE?

Kidney failure
In normal condition kidneys eliminate wastes and spare fluid from blood. When kidneys fail due to some injury or disease, these wastes and extra fluid can accumulate in blood making the body sick. So treatment is needed to make them work properly.

Treatments

There are different treatments for kidney failure depending upon severity of condition such as hemodialysis, (use of machine to filter blood outside body), peritoneal dialysis (uses the lining of belly to filter blood) and kidney transplantation (replacement)
Every treatment has some advantages and disadvantages.

Herbal treatment
Beside this treatment natural herbs are also used to treat the kidney failure .For example weed named, birthwort was a surprising drug that not only treated kidney stones but many other diseases also. Use of herbal supplements has become so popular in the United States .According to some study 40% of adults reported taking at least one supplement and vitamins along with other treatments.
Does Herbal Treatment Cause Kidney Failure?
Although the herbal treatment is good for remedy of many diseases but for kidney it may become failure causing or may increase the severity of failure.
Researchers have found that the ancient remedy probably has caused kidney failure and cancer.
Grollman and his coworkers in “March journal of Kidney International” have reported the genetic signature left behind by weed birthwort in kidney failure and cancer too. They examined signs for high rate of urinary tract cancer by use of this drug in Chinese medicines.
Facts about herbal medicines
• (FDA) Food and Drug Administration does not control the dose and ingredients of herbal supplements.
• Herbal supplements may either augment or reduce work of prescription medicines and treatment by interfering with them.
• They may contain aristolochic acid, which is harmful for kidneys.
• They may have heavy metals and other toxins.
Herbal remedies that should be avoided in kidney diseases
FDA has issued a warning to prevent using dietary goods containing aristolochic acid, as found chiefly in a Chinese herb named “Aristolochia fangchi”. Use of these products has been linked with not only permanent kidney harm but has also been associated with certain types of cancer in the urinary tract. The trouble for aristolochic acid was reported in patients of Beljium ,France and United Kingdom who had end stage kidney failure. Moreover, many of them were found to have some kind of bladder or kidney cancer.
Potassium may cause problems for those on hemodialysis by building up between treatments and causing weakness and muscle cramps. So potassium rich foods that are used as remedy in kidney failure, such as alaflafa, chicory, coriander, papaya, garlic leaf etc, should be limited.
Phosphorus are limited in chronic kidney disease (CKD) because hemodialysis eliminates very small amount of phosphorus from the blood. Herbal supplements that contain phosphorus are onion leaf, bitter melon, flaxseed, coriander etc and dairy products also contain phosphorus.
Conclusion
Taking herbal supplements is risky in kidney disease and even some herbal products make kidney disease worse. Also, your kidneys cannot clear waste products that can build up in your body. The herbal products beneficial for one person may be dangerous for other. So if you are going to take it, telling advice from doctor, dietitian or healthcare provider is necessary.