ISSN 2756-3855
International Journal of Urology and Nephrology Vol. 1 (1), pp. 010-021, September, 2013.© International Scholars Journals
Review
Herbal treatments of glomerulonephritis and chronic renal failure: Review and recommendations for research
Rainer Nowack1*, Felipe Flores-Suarez2, Rainer Birck3, Wilhelm Schmitt4 and Urs Benck3
1Center for Nephrology and Dialysis Lindau/Bodensee, Germany.
2Primary Systemic Vasculitides Clinic, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias, Calzada de Tlalpan 4502, Colonia Sección XVI, CP 14080, Mexico City, Mexico.
3Fifth Department of Medicine, University Hospital Mannheim, Germany.
4Center for Nephrology/Dialysis, Weinheim, Germany.
*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]. Tel: (49) 8382-2762100. Fax: (49) 8382-2762109.
Accepted 6 September, 2013
Abstract
Remissions of nephrotic syndrome due to membranous nephropathy (MN) induced by Astragalus membranaceus have drawn nephrologists attention to medicinal herbs as alternative treatments of glomerulonephritis. MN stands for a group of chronic glomerulonephritides that are routinely treated with corticosteroids and cytotoxic drugs, although treatment responses are unsatisfactory and the toxic burden significant. The investigational status of Astragalus and other medicinal herbs like Angelica sinensis, Tripterygium wilfordii, Rheum palmatum, Ligusticum wallichii, Perilla frutescens, Salvia miltiorrhiza, Arctium lappa with respect to their use as treatments of chronic renal disease and specifically of glomerulonephritis is reviewed. Most of these herbs are in current clinical use in China and appear to have promising constituents capable of modifying immune processes in glomerulonephritis. Nevertheless, their application in patients can still not be advocated as clinical studies meeting international quality standards have not been performed and toxic risks had not been excluded with adequate scrutiny.
Key words: Glomerulonephritis, medicinal herbs, triptolide, astragalus, perilla, rhubarb.