What is a Diuretic?
Diuretic, sometimes referred to as water pills, is a pharmacological action that accounts for increased diuresis/urination. It augments the excretion of salts and water from the body by altering the processes at the kidney level.
In 1919, modern history reports the use of mercurial injections to excrete excessive water in patients with syphilis and edema. By the 1950s, first-generation carbonic anhydrase was developed. But even before the dawn of medicine, herbs were employed to purge toxins via urine.
Diuretics act by reducing salt reabsorption that occurs at various sites in the nephron, hence elevating the salt and water loss. Some other diuretics work by inhibiting the vasopressin receptors that block the water reabsorption in the tubules and collecting duct.
What are the herbal benefits of diuretics?
Diuretics increase urination which in turn supports the treatment of:
- Edema
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)
- Kidney diseases
- Swollen tissues