Ahead of the World Kidney Day on Thursday, experts have said that traditional ayurvedic herbs like Punarnava, Gokhuru and Varuna can provide natural remedies to the patients suffering with chronic kidney disease (CKD) which are on rise in the country due to sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy diet.
Professor KN Dwivedi, Dean, Faculty of Ayurveda, Banaras Hindu University (BHU), called the herbs as life-savers for the CKD patients as they can help rejuvenate the cells of the damaged kidney.
While the well-known diuretic herbs like Varuna is a good blood purifier that helps to maintain homeostasis, Gokhuru is beneficial in regenerating kidney's nephrons, Prof. Dwivedi said, adding that several patients have found such formulations beneficial. Punarnava is a natural diuretic that has been prescribed in Ayurveda for many other urinary problems. It also has anti-inflammatory and rejuvenating properties. Punarnava can be used daily to keep kidney functions healthy, he said. b“NEERI-KFT is one such ayurvedic drug based on extracts of such kidney-friendly medicinal plants like tulsi, ashwagandha and guduchi having anti-oxidants properties.”
Prof Dwivedi said that if detected properly and in time, CKD can be cured with the help of extracts from these identified herbs. More the delay in detection, the longer the treatment, he warned. “When detected early, the dialysis cycle can be brought down with the help of the poly-herbal formulation which helps in strengthening the kidney,” he explained.Developed by AIMIL Pharmaceuticals after intensive research, benefits of NEERI-KFT in managing CKD have been mentioned in studies published in journals like Soudi Journal of Biological Sciences. "If the ayurvedic formulation is prescribed in early stages of the CKD, the kidney can be saved from getting raptured. Its usage has been found to be reducing levels of Cretaine, Urea and Uric Acid," Prof Dwivedi said.
In fact, the formulation is also found to control TNF Alfa too, an indicator of disruption in the kidney, as well as in protecting the organ from dietary AGEs, harmful compounds caused by poor eating habits.
CKD is a serious progressive medical condition characterized by a gradual loss of kidney function, usually accompanied by other comorbidities such as cardiovascular diseases (hypertension, heart failure and stroke) and diabetes, eventually leading to kidney failure.Because of the increasing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and other risk factors, the burden of CKD is increasing globally. The disease affects approximately 10% of the world's adult population, as per various studies.