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Herbal remedies for cystitis
Last reviewed: 08.07.2025

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In addition to herbs, pharmacies offer us wonderful natural preparations, which include extracts of medicinal plants that have a healing effect on the urinary system. Urologists often prescribe such preparations to patients suffering from inflammation of the kidneys or bladder.
The names of such drugs often indicate the area of their application: "Urolesan", "Uronefron", "Cyston", "Kanefron", "Cysto-Aurin" (a single-component drug based on goldenrod herb), "Fitolizin", "Uroprofit" and many others. The form of release of drugs can be different: tablets, capsules, paste, solution.
Indications for the use of the above preparations are generally similar. They are used in the treatment of acute and chronic forms of infectious and inflammatory diseases of the urinary tract. Indications for the use of herbal preparations include cystitis, pyelonephritis or glomerulonephritis. Many preparations are also prescribed in the complex therapy of urolithiasis and nephrolithiasis, gallbladder diseases, and biliary dyskinesia.
Doctors usually prescribe medications based on the symptoms and progress of the disease, but most of these medications are interchangeable. If there is no effect from taking one medication, it is replaced by another with a similar effect, but different active substances.
The pharmacodynamics of the above-mentioned drugs are also similar. Since these are combined multicomponent agents, manufacturers try to ensure that their drugs cover all the necessary effects: anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antispasmodic, diuretic (water pill).
The pharmacokinetics of herbal preparations is not considered, since it is difficult to trace such categories as absorption, metabolism and distribution in the body of individual components of the drug. In addition, most urological drugs do not have a negative effect on the excretory organs, and in particular on the kidneys and urinary system, but on the contrary, are designed to treat it.
Typically, herbal preparations are well absorbed in the digestive tract and begin to act within 30-60 minutes for 4-6 hours.
Urolesan
A herbal preparation that includes mint and fir oils, oregano extract and several other active ingredients of natural origin. Urolesan is available in the form of drops and capsules. They should be taken orally.
Method of administration and dosage. Herbal tablets for cystitis are taken 1 capsule three times a day. The capsules are swallowed whole and washed down with water.
Drops are taken on a piece of sugar or bread (for diabetes). Single dose – 8-10 drops.
Use for children. For children over 2 years of age, the recommended dosage form is syrup. For children under 7 years of age, the recommended dose is 2-4 ml of the drug; older patients can be given 4-5 ml of syrup. The frequency of administration is 3 times a day.
The drug is recommended to be taken before meals. In acute cystitis, treatment takes from 5 to 7 days, in chronic - it can last a month.
Doctors recommend following the indicated dosage of the drug to avoid overdose, which manifests itself in the form of nausea and dizziness. You can relieve unpleasant symptoms by drinking warm drinks in large quantities, taking activated charcoal, and resting.
Side effects of the drug are usually limited to dyspeptic disorders and allergic reactions, but in some cases patients may also complain of headaches, dizziness, weakness, and fluctuations in blood pressure.
Contraindications to the use of Urolesan may include inflammatory gastrointestinal diseases (gastritis, stomach ulcers and duodenal ulcers), a predisposition to seizures in children, and hypersensitivity to the components of the drug.
While studying interactions with other drugs, scientists did not identify any significant reactions that should be taken into account when prescribing combination therapy.
Drops, syrup and tablets (capsules) are recommended to be stored for 2 years from the date of manufacture at a temperature of no more than 25 degrees. The syrup after opening the bottle should be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 4 weeks.
Phytolysin
The preparation is in the form of a greenish paste with a specific smell and taste. Fitolizin contains extracts of several plants (goldenrod, horsetail, knotweed, couch grass roots, onion peel, birch, fenugreek, parsley root, lovage) in combination with oils (orange, sage, mint, pine).
Method of administration and dosage. The paste should be taken daily after meals 3-4 times a day. Single dose - 1 teaspoon. The paste should be dissolved in half a glass of water. The course of treatment is individual, but usually does not exceed one and a half months.
There have been no reports of drug overdose, but the medicine is not well tolerated by all patients. It can cause nausea and vomiting, allergic reactions, and tends to increase sensitivity to ultraviolet radiation.
Contraindications to taking the paste include: individual intolerance, renal and cardiac insufficiency, the presence of phosphate stones. The medicine is not used in pediatrics and the treatment of glomerulonephritis.
"Fitolizin" may interact with other drugs. It can enhance the effect of blood thinners, NSAIDs, lithium-based hypoglycemic agents, MAO inhibitors. It delays the excretion of paracetamol from the body, reduces the absorption of drugs in the intestine.
The medicine can be stored at room temperature for no more than 3 years.
Canephron
A liquid preparation often used in the complex therapy of urinary tract diseases. Contains 3 active substances – extracts of centaury, lovage and rosemary. A useful property of the preparation is the ability to prevent the formation of urinary stones.
Method of administration and dosage. Canephron is intended for the treatment of patients over 12 years of age. The recommended single dose of the drug is 50 drops. It should be taken three times a day.
The drops are recommended to be used undiluted, but due to the bitter taste, it is difficult to treat pediatric patients with them. For children, the medicine can be diluted with any drinks in a small volume.
The duration of treatment depends on the severity and form of the pathology, but even long-term use of the drug in the indicated doses does not cause its accumulation in the body and overdose.
The side effects of the drug are similar to those described above. Usually, it is limited to nausea (less often diarrhea and vomiting) and mild allergic reactions in the form of skin rash and redness.
Contraindications to the use of the drug are individual intolerance to the drug, exacerbation of gastric ulcer, edema caused by heart or kidney failure. It is recommended to accompany the drug intake with drinking large amounts of liquid, therefore, in cases where liquid intake should be limited due to certain health problems, it is not advisable to prescribe the drug.
The medicine can be stored for 2 years, but if the bottle has been opened, its contents can only be used for six months.
Cystone
Herbal tablets used for cystitis caused by urolithiasis or nephrolithiasis. This multi-component preparation contains plants with diuretic, astringent, antimicrobial, antispasmodic effects, as well as natural substances that help crush and dissolve urinary stones of various compositions. The medicine is used both to combat urolithiasis and cystitis, and to prevent stone formation.
Method of administration and dosage. Like "Kanefron", " Cyston " is prescribed to patients over 12 years of age.
To dissolve stones, patients under 14 years of age should take 1 tablet per dose, and those over 14 years of age should take 2 tablets per dose. The frequency of administration during the first 3-4 months is 3 times a day, then 2 times a day patients take halved dosages (½ and 1 tablet, respectively).
Treatment of infectious cystitis is carried out in the same dosages that are used to dissolve stones in the first months of treatment, but the duration of the therapeutic course is shorter - 4-6 weeks. In case of relapses of cystitis, the dosages of the second half of the treatment of urolithiasis are effective.
Side effects of the drug include skin rashes, possible gastrointestinal and liver disorders, lower back pain associated with urination (this is quite logical and does not require discontinuing the drug), and allergic reactions. Quincke's edema is rarely observed in cases of individual sensitivity.
Contraindications to the use of the drug are kidney disease (nephritis and nephrosis), severe acute pain in the urinary tract, hypersensitivity to the drug.
When using the drug simultaneously with others, it is necessary to take into account the drug interaction. "Cystone" affects the effectiveness of antibiotics sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim and norfloxacin, which requires correction of the dose of the latter.
The medicine can be stored for 3 years. It retains its properties even at temperatures higher than room temperature (up to 30 degrees).
We have reviewed only a few preparations that contain herbs for cystitis, and therefore can be used in the treatment of this disease. More complete information can be obtained from the attending physician, who will select the remedy that is preferable in each specific situation. Information about the prescribed drug can be obtained from the annotation to it.