Top 5 Botanicals Used for Natural Treatment of Urinary Tract Infections

The infections of the lower urinary tract occur most commonly in young women, during pregnancy, and even in peri- and postmenopausal women. The urinary tract infections are chronic in nature and may also exhibit resistance to the use of antibiotics. Due to these two problems, it is important to seek a natural approach towards preventing and treating the urinary tract infection. Herbs, botanicals and natural options that are known to be most effective in the treatment of the urinary tract infections are cranberry, mannose, and probiotics. Berberine and Uva ursi are also reported to be effective in the prophylactic treatment of urinary tract infections. The use of Vitamins A and C along with mineral potassium is also found to be helpful in reducing dysuria and making the urine alkaline in nature.

The problem of Urinary tract infections

UTI is the second most common site for infection as indicated in study reports. Women are most commonly affected by the infections of the lower urinary tract such as urethra and bladder. Though uncommon in men, it may be seen as an obstruction or an enlarged prostate generally occurring in males below the age of 50 years.

UTIs are associated with distressing symptoms such as frequent urge to urinate, pain on urination, pressure or pain above the pubic bone in the bladder, difficulty in passing urine and symptoms of fatigue, and tiredness. Children affected with UTI show irritability, urinary incontinence, diarrhea, poor appetite or fever. The infection may even reach the kidneys making it a severe case of infection. The risk factors for UTI include female gender, sexual activity, mode of birth control used, menopause, diabetes, use of catheter, and obstruction of urinary tract such as presence of stone, tumor, strictures or an enlarged prostate. E. Coli causes almost 80% of the UTI cases in adults. One of the major problems associated with the condition of urinary tract infection is the resistance towards the frequent use of antibiotics and vaginal and intestinal dysbiosis.

Herbal intervention for urinary tract infections

The use of botanical intervention or alternative intervention for the treatment of the urinary tract infections is much sought after. The most commonly used botanicals are Cranberry, Cranberry-Lingonberry, Berberine sulfate, and Taxacum officinalis.

Cranberry

Cranberry is widely used on folklore medicine as a medicine for the treatment of urinary tract infections. Cranberry is used in its various forms such as pure juice, sugared cocktail, capsules and tableted extracts and is known to work as anti-adhesion agent. Cranberry has been found to be effective in women of all ages, elderly individuals and patients with neurogenic bladder in various clinical and research studies. The cranberry juice has been proven to show strong anti-aggregatory effects on bacteria.

Lingonberry

Vaccinium vitis-idaea juice has also been used in combination with cranberry juice and found to be an effective treatment for lower urinary tract infections. The lingonberry juice has been found to reduce the incidence of urinary tract infections and also treat it.

Bilberry; blueberry

There are evidences suggesting that blueberry juice possesses anti-adhesive effects like cranberry and hence has been found to be effective in the treatment of urinary tract infections. The chemical constituents present in the bilberry juice can bind to the same uroepithelial cells as bacteria and therefore competitively inhibit them. The blueberry juice has shown weak anti-aggregation effects on bacterial accumulation in some research reports.

Berberine

Berberine is chemically an alkaloid in nature obtained from plants and has a vast medical history of being used in Ayurvedic and Chinese system of medicine. There are many plant sources from which berberine is obtained including of Goldenseal (Hydrastis Canadensis), Goldenthread (Coptis chinensis), Oregon grape (Berberis aquifolium), Barberry (Berberis vulgaris), and tree turmeric (Berberis aristata). Research studies have shown that berberine extractions and decoctions have high antimicrobial activity against many organisms such as bacteria, virus, fungi, protozoans, helminthes, and Chlamydia.

Berberine is known to exhibit antibacterial effects Berberine also prevents adhesion of the E. coli bacteria and research is continued to find out the resistance of microbes against berberine. Berberine is also helpful in treating the urinary tract infection in which the microbes have migrated from the gastrointestinal tract. Berberine has also been shown to have anti-secretory effects on E. coli in animal models. Hence, it is well documented that treatment of intestinal dysbiosis and prevention of urinary tract infections can be effectively done with the help of antimicrobial and antisecretory effects of berberine.

Bearberry

Arctostaphylos uva ursi or bearberry is among the most commonly used botanicals and herbs in the treatment of urinary tract infections. A chemical which is an aglycone hydroquinone known as arbutin is present in bearberry which is responsible for the action of the bearberry. It is found to be released in alkaline urine. Individuals who eat more vegetables have higher amount of this chemical. Arbutin can be consumed in the tablet form and even in aqueous solution. IT is endowed with antimicrobial effect due to which it exerts its antimicrobial effect. Research studies around the globe have demonstrated that bearberry has antimicrobial activity against a wide range of microorganisms including E. coli, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and almost 70 other bacteria dwelling in urinary tract. It also has diuretic and anti-inflammatory effects and has been reported to be effective in the prevention of the urinary tract infections.

Along with these botanicals there are other herbs such as Buchu, saw palmetto and stinging nettle which have also been used in the urinary tract infections. Certain nutrient interventions such as use of Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Citric acid and probiotics all of which have natural original are also found to be effective in urinary tract infections.

References
Head, K. A. (2008). Natural approaches to prevention and treatment of infections of the lower urinary tract. Alternative medicine review, 13(3), 227-244.

Category: HEALTH