Fungal Urinary Tract Infections

This is a fungal infection that usually affects the kidneys and bladder. Fungal infection in the lower urinary tract is usually a side effect of the usage of urinary catheters and antibiotic therapy. There are rarely any symptoms when someone has a fungal urinary tract infection in the lower urinary track, though some patients experience pain while urinating or frequent urges to urinate. Traces of blood in the urine can also be found. There is also a type of fungal urinary tract infection that is called Renal Candidiasis, which involves the gastrointestinal tract.

Efficacy of Alternative and Other Treatments According to GRADE* Ranking:

Vitamin A [1, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help in preventing some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present. Please note, this acts as a PREVENTATIVE treatment, and not necessarily symptomatic relief.

Recommendation: Strongly in favor (Vitamin A may help to prevent urinary tract infections due to its role in the body's immune function)

Grade of Evidence: high quality of evidence

Pokeweed Antiviral Protein (PAP) [1, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present. Warning! All parts of the plant, Pokeweed (Phytolacca Americana), is poisonous and should not be ingested. Thoroughly cooking the plant reduces that toxicity. The effects of the improperly prepared plant include vomiting, diarrhoea, cramps, headache, confusion, convulstions, low blood pressure, heart block and death. Only plant extracts (PAP) or thoroughly prepared plants should be ingested, and even then, under professional medical guidance.

Recommendation: no recommendation (There is insufficient evidence to support claims that PAP helps to treat fungal infections)

Grade of Evidence: very low of evidence

Pau D'Arco (Lapachol, Tabebuia Impetiginosa, Tabebuia Heptaphylla) [1, 25]:

Please note, this treatment has potentially serious side effects. Some of the chemicals in the plant are known to be toxic. High doses are known to cause liver and kidney. Even at low doses, chemicals in the plant may interfere with blood clotting, causing excess bleeding and anaemia. Pau D'Arco should be avoided, especially by pregnant or breastfeeding women.

Recommendation: Strongly against (There is insufficient evidence to support claims that Pau D'arco helps to treat fungal infections. This, combined with its potentially harmful side effects if taken without supervision from a doctor or pharmacist gives enough reason to avoid this treatment.)

Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence

* www.gradeworkinggroup.org

Kava (Piper Methysticum) [1, 21, 22, 23, 24]:

WARNING: In rare cases, kava may lead to liver failure and other life threatening problems. The FDA warns that those who have had liver problems, or are on medicacations which may affect the liver, patients should check with their doctors before taking Kava. Other side effects include headache, upset stomach, drowsiness, weight loss, bloody urine, and muscle weakness.

Recommendation: No recommendation (There is insufficient evidence to support claims that Kava helps to treat symptoms of Fungal Infection. More research is needed)

Grade of Evidence: Very low quality of evidence

Gotu Kola (Centella Asiatica, Hydrocotyle Asiatica) [3, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: no recommendation (There is insufficient evidence to support claims that Gotu Kola helps in the treatment of Fungal Urinary Tract Infections in any way. More research is needed.)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

Goldenseal (Hydrastis Canadensis) [3, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: Weakly against (There is insufficient evidence to support claims that Goldenseal helps to treat Urinary Tract Infections. More studies are needed. Goldenseal may produce toxic effects, including depression, constipation, rapid heartbeat, stomach pain, mouth ulcers and vomiting.)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

Echinacea Purpurea [3, 4, 5, 6, 7]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: no recommendation  (Evidence has shown that Echinacea has no effect in the treatment or prevention of urinary tract infections)

Grade of Evidence: moderate quality of evidence

* www.gradeworkinggroup.org

Summary Reference

Treatments:

1. Malani AN, Kauffman CA. Candida urinary tract infections: treatment options. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther. 2007 Apr;5(2):277-84.

2. Sobel JD, Vazquez JA. Fungal infections of the urinary tract. World J Urol. 1999 Dec;17(6):410-4.

3. Ades T, Alteri R, Gansler T, Yeargin P, "Complete Guide to Complimentary & Alternative Cancer Therapies", American Cancer Society, Atlanta USA, 2009

4. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/echinacea

5. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/echinacea/ataglance.htm

6. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16049208

7. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/29145.php

8. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/goldenseal

9. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/goldenseal/

10. Tierra Michael (1998): The Way of Herbs. New York, Pocket Books

11. Grieve M. (1971): A Modern Herbal. New York, Dover Publications, Inc

12. Mills S. and Bone K. (2000): Principles and Practice of Phytotherapy. Philadelphia, Churchill Livingstone

13. Tice Raymond (1997): Goldenseal and Two of its constituent alkaloids: berberine and hydrastine Research Triangle Park, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, in Seiger E: Review of Toxilogical Literature

14. http://www.henriettesherbal.com/eclectic/ellingwood/hydrastis.html

15. Winston, D., Maimes, S., Adaptogens: Herbs For Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief, 2007, pp. 226-7

16. "A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study on the Effects of Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica) on Acoustic Startle Response in Healthy Subjects". Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology. 20(6):680-684, December 2000. Bradwejn, Jacques MD, FRCPC *; Zhou, Yueping MD, PhD ++; Koszycki, Diana PhD *; Shlik, Jakov MD, PhD

17  B. M. Hausen (1993) "Centella asiatica (Indian pennywort), an effective therapeutic but a weak sensitizer." Contact Dermatitis 29 (4), 175–179 doi:10.1111/j.1600-0536.1993.tb03532.x

18. Cataldo, A., Gasbarro, V., et al., "Effectiveness of the Combination of Alpha Tocopherol, Rutin, Melilotus, and Centella asiatica in The Treatment of Patients With Chronic Venous Insufficiency", Minerva Cardioangiology, 2001, Apr; 49(2):159-63

19. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gotu_kola#Medicinal_effects

20. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/gotu-kola

21. http://www.publish.csiro.au/?act=view_file&file_id=SP05005.pdf

22. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/kava

23. http://www.kavazen.com/pages/library.htm#KavaZen and Kava Safety

24. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/kava/index.htm

25. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/pau-d-arco   

26. http://www.cbif.gc.ca/pls/pp/ppack.info?p_psn=12&p_type=all&p_sci=sci&p_x=px

27. http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Phytolacca+americana

28. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/315368

29. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002874.htm

30. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/pokeweed

31. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-vitamina.html

32. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/vitamina.html

33. http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamina.asp

34. http://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/vad/en/

35. Latham, Michael E. (1997). Human Nutrition in the Developing World (Fao Food and Nutrition Paper). Food & Agriculture Organization of the United. ISBN 92-5-103818-X.

36. Sommer, Alfred (1995). Vitamin a Deficiency and Its Consequences: A Field Guide to Detection and Control. Geneva: World Health Organization. ISBN 92-4-154478-3.

37. http://www.unicef.org/worldfitforchildren/files/A-RES-S27-2E.pdf