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Urinary System Helpers Here are some herbal remedies that have been used as Urinary System helpers throughout history. Scroll down to find your ailment. Click on 'Fact Sheet' for more information. Urinary Tract Infections Buchu (Barosma betulina) Part used: Leaf History: Traditional African urinary tonic Science: Volatile oils kill bacteria and increase urinary output Practitioners opinion: Should be used long term to clear infection Directions: Tincture (1:5, 60% alcohol): 2.5ml three times daily. Buchu comes from South Africa where it has been used as a treatment for urinary tract infections for centuries. The key to Buchu is its volatile oils which give the plant its characteristic blackcurrant scent and its urinary tract disinfectant activity. Unlike many herbal remedies, this plant is pleasant to take. Urinary Tract Infections Echinacea (Echinacea angustifolia) Part used: Root History: Used by Native Americans to stop wound infection Science: Has been proven to be antibacterial on several levels Practitioners opinion: One of the best treatments for urinary tract infections Directions: Tablets: 2-200mg tablets 3 times daily after meals. Tincture (1:5, 45% alcohol): 2.5ml three times daily. Juice: 10ml twice daily with water before meals. The body’s first line of defense against bacterial infection are the white blood cells which cruise around the body killing bacteria. By 1920, researchers had found that Echinacea angustifolia both increased the number of white blood cells produced by the body and their effectiveness. Echinacea stimulates the immune system which in turn deals with the bacteria causing the urinary tract infection. Urinary Tract Disinfectant Uva Ursi (Arctostaphyllos uva-ursi) Part used: Leaves History: Native American urinary tract infection treatment Science: Contains compounds that kill urinary tract dwelling bacteria Practioners’ opinion: The first choice when UTI’s appear Directions: Tincture (1:5, 25% alcohol) 2ml three times a day Women have always had a problem with urinary tract infections. When the colonial women settled into life in North America, they did so without the aid of the European plants they formerly used to treat these infections. Native American women taught the colonials to gather the leaves of this woodland plant when urinary tract infections struck. Several hundred years later it is still a favourite. Take note: contemporary research indicates it should not be use for more than a week and or by people with kidney disease. |
