Three Chinese Patent Medicines for Nephritis or Kidney Damage
The three Chinese patent medicines for nephritis introduced in this article are all commercially available, with the advantage of convenient administration. For usage, dosage, and side effects of each, please consult the package insert. This article introduces only the indications of each medicine, to help patients select the right drug for their symptoms.
Shenyan Siwei Pian (Nephritis Four-Ingredient Tablets)
Ingredients: Xigeng Huzhizi (Lespedeza virgata), Huangqin (Radix Scutellariae), Shiwei (Folium Pyrrosiae), and Huangqi (Radix Astragali). This product is a sugar-coated or film-coated tablet; after the coating is removed, it appears brownish, with a slight odor and slightly bitter taste. The main action of Shenyan Siwei Pian is to clear heat and promote diuresis, and to supplement qi and fortify the spleen. It is used for edema due to internal accumulation of damp-heat combined with qi deficiency, presenting with swelling, lower-back pain, fatigue, and difficult urination; it may be used to treat chronic nephritis presenting with the above symptoms.
Xigeng Huzhizi in this formula is the small shrub Lespedeza virgata of the Leguminosae family; it is a specialized medicine for treating nephritis and can also treat malaria, arthritis, and heatstroke. However, excessive use of Xigeng Huzhizi has significant nephrotoxicity, so caution is needed when using this herb. In the formula, Huangqin clears heat and detoxifies; Shiwei promotes diuresis, reduces swelling, and can stop bleeding; Huangqi supplements qi and reduces swelling. These three herbs have little nephrotoxicity. When using this product, follow the principle of "stop once the disease is resolved"; do not use it excessively or for prolonged periods.
Shenyan Ling Jiaonang (Nephritis Spirit Capsules)
Ingredients: Mohanlian (Herba Ecliptae), Nüzhenzi (Fructus Ligustri Lucidi), Dihuang (Radix Rehmanniae), Shanyao (Rhizoma Dioscoreae), Danggui (Radix Angelicae Sinensis), Chuanxiong (Rhizoma Chuanxiong), Chishao (Radix Paeoniae Rubra), Gouji (Cibotium, scalded), Fuling (Poria), Zhuling (Polyporus), Cheqianzi (Semen Plantaginis, salt-fried), Qiancao (Radix Rubiae), Daji (Radix et Rhizoma Cirsii Japonici), Xiaoji (Herba Cephalanoploris), Zhizi (Fructus Gardeniae), Machixian (Herba Portulacae), and Diyu (Radix Sanguisorbae). This product is a capsule; its contents are brown granules with a bitter taste.
This product has the actions of clearing heat and promoting diuresis, cooling blood and stopping bleeding, and nourishing yin and tonifying the kidney. It is used for edema, lower-back pain, frequent urination, and hematuria due to damp-heat in the lower jiao, heat forcing the blood to move, and insufficiency of kidney yin; it is indicated for chronic nephritis presenting with the above symptoms.
Shenyan Ling Jiaonang was developed by adding herbs to Erzhi Pills (composed of Mohanlian and Nüzhenzi). This formula may cause loose stools or even diarrhea in some patients; those with chronic loose stools or irritable bowel syndrome should not take it.
In this formula, Mohanlian, Daji, Xiaoji, Qiancao, and Diyu all cool the blood and stop bleeding, and therefore can treat hematuria; Mohanlian, Nüzhenzi, Dihuang, Shanyao, and Gouqi (Fructus Lycii) nourish kidney yin, while Gouji warms and tonifies kidney yang—these herbs also provide symptomatic treatment for lower-back pain; Chishao, Danggui, Chuanxiong, and Dihuang activate blood and resolve stasis; Zhizi and Machixian clear heat and promote diuresis; Fuling, Zhuling, and Cheqianzi all promote diuresis and reduce swelling. Thus this formula can relieve the hematuria, lower-back pain, frequent urination, and edema of nephritis patients.
Shenyan Jiere Pian (Nephritis Heat-Clearing Tablets)
Ingredients: Baimaogen (Rhizoma Imperatae), Lianqiao (Fructus Forsythiae), Jingjie (Herba Schizonepetae), fried Kuxingren (Semen Armeniacae Amarum), Chenpi (Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae), Dafupi (Pericarpium Arecae), salt-processed Zexie (Rhizoma Alismatis), Fuling (Poria), Guizhi (Ramulus Cinnamomi), Cheqianzi (Semen Plantaginis, fried), Chixiaodou (Semen Phaseoli), Shigao (Gypsum), Pugongying (Herba Taraxaci), and Chantui (Periostracum Cicadae).
This product is a sugar-coated or film-coated tablet; after the coating is removed, it appears dark brown, with a sweet and slightly bitter taste. It has the actions of dispersing wind and clearing heat, and ventilating the lung and promoting urination. It is indicated for edema due to wind-heat invading the lung, presenting with fever and aversion to cold, swelling of the head and face, dry and painful throat, aching limbs, scanty dark urine, thin yellow tongue coating, and floating rapid pulse.
In this formula, Lianqiao, Jingjie, Guizhi, Shigao, Chantui, and Pugongying all reduce fever; Xingren purges the lung and calms wheezing; Dafupi, Zexie, Fuling, Cheqianzi, and Chixiaodou promote urination and reduce swelling; Baimaogen is a commonly used herb for treating nephritis—it not only clears heat and promotes diuresis but also stops bleeding. Thus Shenyan Jiere Pian is suitable for patients with acute or chronic nephritis who present with fever.
The above medicines are suitable for patients with mild kidney damage of various causes. For severe kidney damage, please use medication under a doctor's guidance.