Herbal medicine in renal and genitourinary disease

Herbs have a long history of use for treating problems of the genitourinary tract, including prostatism, infection, stones and impotence. With medical research some of these traditional uses have been found to have a scientific basis. The use of cranberry for recurrent cystitis in women and saw palmetto for prostatism are examples of plants we can now use with some confidence. As always, it is necessary to consider the potential for toxicity of herbs with long term use and some plants have been found to be nephrotoxic.