Medicinal plants in the treatment

of urogenital diseases

Nóra Papp
 Medicinal plants for urogenital problems
1. Urogenital infections
- new-born babies: boys
- 20-50 years: women
- elderly people: same ratio
- cystitis, infection with E. coli
- symptoms: frequent urinary stimulus, painful urination, small volumen
- phytotherapy: antimicrobial and diuretic drugs, medical treatment
for children

2. Herbs with diuretic effect

- for oedema long ago, nowadays to prevent infections as a
complementary treatment
- complex effect, e.g. flavonoids + essential oil + saponins
- improve the water secretion, reduce the development of kidney
stones
- few studies
- contraindication: in hypertonia, oedema, weight loss
 Medicinal plants for urogenital problems

• diuretics with plant origin: xantin derivatives (e.g.

theobromine, theophyllin); kidney circulation↑,
glomerulus filtration↑, volumen of primer urine ↑; not for
long-term use

• osmotic diuretics (mannitol, sorbitol): absorb water and

excrete with them

• treatment e.g.: „bladder tea" as adjuvants for cystitis

and chronic pyelitis
 Medicinal plants for urogenital problems

Plants with diuretic effect

• urine disinfectants: kill pathogens or inhibit their reproduction,

wash the urinary tracts, reduce inflammation
• treatment: urine secretion ↑, wash the urinary tract in cystitis, urinary
sand, urethritis
• contraindication: in circulatory and kidney disorders
• notice: in oedema caused by reduced cardiac and kidney
function the "washing therapy" with fluid intake cannot be used!
- bacterial infections of the urinary tract: Esherichia coli 50-60 %,
Enterococcus 20-30 %, Klebsiella, Proteus, Pseudomonas sp. 5-15 %
- urinary disinfectants containing herbal drugs: arbutin, santalol (in
essential oil) – e.g. cranberries, sandal-tree
 Medicinal plants for urogenital problems

Plants used for kidney stone

• facilitation the excretion of small stones, prevention of the
development of stones, analgesics in kidney cramp,
improvement of kidney circulation, anti-inflammatory effect
• contraindication: serious kidney cramp and urinary infection, liver
and kidney disorders, first trimester of pregnancy, in lactation, for
children
• nourishment: no sorrel and spinach (Ca-oxalate), no flesh diet
(uric acid stone)
 Some diuretic drugs
Plant / drug name Daily dose
Betula pendula/Betulae folium 2-3 g
Taraxacum officinale/Taraxaci herba et radix 3-4 g

Equisetum arvense/Equiseti herba 6g

Solidago virga-aurea/Solidaginis virga-aureae 6-12 g
herba
Levisticum officinale/Levistici radix 4-8 g
Urtica dioica/Urticae herba 8-12 g
Ortosiphon spicatus/Ortosiphonis folium 6-12 g
Petroselium crispum/Petroselini radix 6g
Ononis spinosa/Ononidis radix 12 g
Agropyron repens/Graminis rhizoma 6-9 g
Zea mays/Maydis stigma 40 g
 Graminis rhizoma

Ph. Hg. VIII.

- inulin (polyfructan)
• essential oil: polyacetylene
(agropyren) - diuretic

Agropyron repens (Poaceae)

 EQUISETI HERBA

Equisetum arvense

summer shoot

Ph. Hg. VIII.

- silica, acids, saponin,

flavonoids, potassium
- diuretics
 Equiseti herba

Equisetum arvense ! Equisetum palustre

Orthosiphonis folium

Orthosiphon aristatus
(Lamiaceae)

- caffeic acid derivatives,

flavonoids, diterpenes (staminol,
neo-orthosiphol, orthosiphol),
essential oil
- diuretic and antiphlogistics drug
- for cystitis, bacterial infections of
the urinary tract, nephritis, gout,
rheuma

Ph. Hg. VIII.

Levistici radix

Levisticum officinale
(Apiaceae)

- essential oil, coumarin,

furocoumarins, sitosterol
- diuretic, carminativ drug,
stomachicum, for gall and
kidney stones

Ph.Hg.VIII.
Petroselini radix, folium, fructus

Petroselinum crispum
Petroselini radix
 Solidaginis herba

Ph. Hg. VIII.

Solidago canadensis

Solidago gigantea
Solidaginis herba

Tea: diuretic
Solidaginis virgaureae herba

Ph. Hg. VIII.

Solidago virgaurea
 Betulae folium Ph.Hg.VIII.

Betula pendula (Betulaceae)

 Betulae folium Ph.Hg.VIII.

Betula pubescens (Betulaceae)

Betulae folium
 Salus diuretic capsule

• 64,75 mg Betulae pendulae fol.

extr. aquosa sicc. / capsule

• kidney sand, inflammation of the

urinary tract, bacterial infection

• contraindication: oedema caused

by cardiac and kidney failure

• before eating
 Ononidis radix

Ph.Hg.VIII.

Ononis spinosa (Fabaceae)

 Herbária diuretic tea mixture
Ingredients:
• Chamomillae anthodium
• Betulae folium
• Graminis rhizoma
• Menthae pip. folium
• Liquiritiae rhizoma et radix
• Levistici radix
• Equiseti herba
• Urticae folium
 Naturland Salaktalanító tea mixture

Ingredients: Ribis nigri folium, Menthae

piperitae folium, Hibisci flos
- contraindication: inflammation of
the gall bladder, gall stone,
simultaneous use of other diuretics
- 1 cure = max. 3 months
- break between 2 cures: min. 1
month
 Naturland Salaktalanító
Plus tea mixture

Ingredients:
• Solidaginis herba
• Sambuci flos
• Urticae folium
• Taraxaci radix
• Ribis nigri folium
• Hibisci flos
• Graminis rhizoma
• Menthae piperitae folium
 Pannonhalmi Salaktalanító tea mixture
Ingredients:
• 0,450 g Graminis rhizoma
• 0,375 g Agrimoniae herba
• 0,375 g Taraxaci radix
• 0,225 g Polygoni avicularis herba

• use with many fluid

• max. for 3 months
• contraindication: allergy and hypersensitivity
for any ingredient, simultaneous use of other
diuretics
• not recommended under 12 years
• possible interaction with anticoagulants
• NO side effects
 Naturland Vesevédő tea mixture

Ingredients: Chelidonii herba, Solidaginis herba,

Urticae folium, Equiseti herba, Agrimoniae herba

- contraindication: urine volumen < 1 L,

oedema caused by cardiac and
kidney failure
- simultaneous use with other diuretics:
it can improve their effect
- for max. 3 months
 UROGIN tincture
• 0,60 g Uvae ursi folium
• 0,50 g Millefolii herba
• 0,50 g Agrimoniae herba
• 0,40 g Urticae folium
• 0,25 g Equiseti herba
• 0,25 g Betulae folium

• contraindication: alcoholism, epilepsy, liver

disorders, in lactation and pregnancy,
simultaneous use with other diuretics
• not recommended under 12 years
• possible side effects: nausea, vomiting, allergic
reaction, hypersensitivity
• max. 3 days
 Urinary disinfectants

Notice: The effect of essential oils is not useful

because of their glucuronide form in the urine.
Uvae ursi folium
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Ericaceae
Drug: Uvae ursi folium (Ph. Hg. VII., Ph.
Eur. 4., Ph. Hg. VIII.)

Compounds: 5-12% hydroquinone derivatives: arbutin, hydroquinone,

methylarbutin, piceozid, 15-20% gallotannin and catechin derivatives,
flavonoids, triterpenes

Medicinal use: urinary disinfectant, antibacterial, nephritis, cystitis

-for defined time because of the tannin content
-few human studies
-3g/day (4x)
-max. 5 cures/year
-contraindication: pregnancy, lactation, under 12 years
 Vitis-idaeae folium
Vaccinium vitis-idaea
Ericaceae

Drug: Vitis-idaeae folium, Vitis-

idaeae fructus, Vitis-idaeae flos

Compounds:
-leaf: 3-8% arbutin, 6’-O-acetilarbutin, hydroquinone genciobiosid,
phenyl-glycoside (salidrosid), catechin, flavonoids
-fruit: organic acids (benzoic acid, salicilic acid), sugars, vitamins,
proanthocianidins, carotenoids
-flower: arbutin, hydroquinone

Medicinal use: urinary disinfectant, antibacterial, cystistis, nephritis,

gout, rheuma; fruit = astringent, antimicotic
 Fono VII.
 Species diuretica: Levistici radix, Liquiritiae rhizoma et radix,
Ononidis radix, Juniperi galbulus
 Species uvae ursi: Uvae ursi folium, Herniariae herba