Dynamic Health

Urinary Health, Herbs, Bladder infection

Urinary infection and bladder weakness ailments are known quite at early times. The early Egyptians as described in the papyri documents, recommended herbal treatments to alleviate urinary symptoms, though no detailed description of the ailment itself is given. Both the Roman and Greek medicine applied rather meagre and non-invasive techniques such good diet, bed rest and use of narcotic herbs. The Greeks went further of advocating lithotomy for gallstones, abscesses, retention and catheterization.

In the Middle Ages however, there was no major advances in the clinical and scientific knowledge of the cause(s) of the disease The therapies included bed rest, blood letting, cupping, leeches and non-anaesthetic surgery.

To day, many recent synthesised as well natural herbal therapies are made available in the market. In this context we describe herewith but a few of the natural herbal extracts which are used for the treatment of urinary infections which may be of diverse origin. Some of the best selling marketed products are obtained from the herbs, Cranberry, Goldenrod, Juniuper, Marshmallow, Oregon grape roots, Ursi, and the lichen Usnea.

:Cranberry is a low-growing shrub of the heath family with leathery leaves and astringent red berries their juice is used treatments for urinary infections. It is claimed that the juice extracts prevent adhesion of E. coli bacteria to linings of the bladder and the gut, thereby inhibiting their ability to colonize and cause infection, i.e. it has a preventative, rather than curative effect on urinary tract infections.

Goldenrod, Goldenrod is used to treat urinary tract inflammation. It prevents the development of kidney stones, and has an quadratic effects combined with both antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Juniper, Marshmallow is shrubby herb (Althaea officinalis), the soft pith of which is used for gelatine production. It is also described to alleviate urinary infection.

Usnea is a lichen species (family, Parmeliaceae) and Uvia, Ursi (Uva ursi (Arctostaphylos uva ursi) have diuretic, astringent and antiseptic properties.

The best selling products of these herbs as sponsored by “altmedicine.about.com/ “are marketed under the trade names:

Doctor’s Best, Best Saw Palmetto Standardised Extract

New Food Cranberry concentrate

Now Foods, saw palmetto berries

Now Foods, Prostate support,

Dynamic Health, 100% Pure, Cranberry concentrate,

Country Life, Biochem Saw Palmetto& Pygeum Extract,

Though there is an ever growing demand and use of these herbal products versus synthetic medications, care and caution have to be exercised, particularly of the adverse side effects, which are not fully investigated. Renal failure may be at risk for further kidney damage as well as complications related to interactions.

About the Author

Borne 194, Education: BSC(Chemistry), MSc, PhD,FRCS(CChem), MACs,MSCS

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