Almost every other patient who visits a doctor asks to avoid ‘chemotherapy’ and instead wants advice on herbal remedies. And it’s a good thing if they actually follow their doctor’s guidance. Many people self-medicate with herbs based on anecdotal evidence—if it worked for my neighbor, it should work for me too. Commonly sought-after herbs like chamomile, calendula, birch buds, and cranberry leaves are frequently requested at pharmacies and often bought in bulk. Many individuals also gather these herbs themselves, sometimes clumsily and without following proper collection guidelines. There’s a widespread belief that herbs are completely harmless: even if they don’t help, they won’t cause harm. What people don’t realize is that medicinal plants produce their effects through the same chemical compounds found in pharmaceutical drugs. Many medications are actually plant-based—papaverine, allochol, thermopsis, and others.
Herbal remedies are most commonly used for kidney diseases. Decoctions and infusions of cranberry, juniper, field horsetail, and bearberry are often recommended for patients with pyelonephritis and, when used correctly, can provide real benefits. However, no doctor will wait for slow-acting herbal decoctions and infusions to take effect in an acute situation. If there is an inflammatory process in the kidneys, antibiotics or other urgent drugs are needed. Once the inflammation is under control, a doctor may incorporate herbs to help consolidate the results while monitoring the patient’s condition.
Medicinal plants are not harmless. For instance, herbal teas or cranberry leaves that have a diuretic effect can alter the body’s water and mineral balance, particularly by depleting potassium, which is essential for heart muscle function. A doctor monitoring a patient will check blood chemistry with biochemical tests to ensure potassium levels aren’t dangerously low. If necessary, the doctor will prescribe the appropriate medications.
The same caution applies to treating gastrointestinal conditions. Different herbs are indicated for gastritis with low acidity than for gastritis with high acidity. Ignoring those distinctions can lead to severe flare-ups from what might seem like a ‘harmless’ herb.
Not all herbal choleretics, like corn silk or immortelle, can be used indiscriminately for liver and gallbladder diseases. The phase and nature of the illness must be taken into account.
There are cases where common valerian root produces not its traditional calming effect but instead causes feelings of fear and intense agitation.
When it comes to herbal treatment, as with any treatment, there are no trivial matters. Choose the correct dosage and prepare remedies properly. For instance, making a decoction from bearberry (also known as ‘medvyezhi ushki’) instead of an infusion could cause harm. A bearberry decoction contains many tannins that can irritate the stomach. Also, drinking the infusion with plain water instead of alkaline mineral water (like Borjomi) may reduce its effectiveness.
In short, herbal treatment, like any form of self-medication, can do more harm than good if not approached with caution.
