Should I drink leaf juice to dissolve kidney stones?

My father has just been diagnosed with kidney stones and was recommended to use traditional leaves to treat the disease. Is this method effective and safe? (Minh, 30 years old, Dong Nai )

Reply:

Nowadays, many people still have the habit of using some types of leaves such as jackfruit leaves, moneywort, coriander, Vietnamese coriander... to treat kidney stones. However, in reality, there have been many cases of unwanted complications, even life-threatening complications due to using leaves and remedies of unknown origin.

Most types of leaves used to treat kidney stones have diuretic effects. When overused, they can cause electrolyte imbalances, causing dehydration. The kidneys must work harder, leading to fatigue, thirst, and cramps, which negatively impact the muscular and cardiovascular systems.

In addition, some types of leaves also contain toxins that are harmful to the liver and kidneys, which can lead to liver and kidney failure if used for a long time with high doses. Therefore, self-treatment of kidney stones with herbal medicine or leaves at home is not recommended. Before using leaves or any herbal medicine, you need to carefully consult a medical specialist.

Symptoms of kidney stones include lower back pain, painful urination, frequent urination, difficulty urinating, high fever, and bloody urine.

To safely remove kidney stones, you should go for a medical examination to choose the appropriate treatment regimen. In addition, to prevent kidney stones, you need to drink enough water. You should drink 2 to 3 liters of water every day, exercise , limit excessive use of caffeine (concentrated in tea, coffee, chocolate...), reduce the amount of salt absorbed into the body through a low-salt diet, limit the use of canned foods such as bacon, sausages, ready-to-eat foods, and foods high in fat.

The daily diet should include a variety of food groups, with enough fiber, vegetables, and fruits to help cure the disease, prevent it from progressing, and reduce the risk of recurrence later.

Doctor Dinh Tran Ngoc Mai
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City

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