Personal experience from usage of Lespedeza capitata for patients with CRF for a period of 2 years – 07.2012 – 07.2014
Preparations with Lespedeza capitata are traditionally used for renal failure for more than 60 years. Lespeuril is a food supplement which contains dry extract of Lespedeza capitata in a 200 mg capsule with no alcohol in its composition.
Treatment of CRF is a problem which every practitioner faces. Early diagnosis of CRF is extremely important as well as establishing the etiology of CRF which is not always possible. After discovering the reasons for nitrogen retention every possible measure must be undertaken for their removal.
In most patients, the onset of CRF is irreversible and requires active complex treatment. All patients are trained to observe hypo-protein diet – 0.8 g protein per kg body weight. We strive for a good correction of underlying conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and benign prostatic hypertrophy and so on. Treatment is started with the known means such as vitamins, calcium, alkalinization, renoprotection, active metaphylaxis; Uro-Vaxom in the case of pyelonephritis plus antibiotics, uroseptics in the case of activity of inflammation; herbal preparations. If an anemic syndrome occurred – iron composition is applied initially orally when necessary, and by injection. For persistent anemic syndrome with CRF, even after adjustment for treatment of iron deficiency includes Erythropoietin.
If a progression of creatinine to 350 micromoles/liter occurs, patients are observed in nephrology consultation on patient care. If deterioration of CRF occurs, patients are directed to hemodialysis centers where they afterwards undergo hemodialysis.
There are many hemodialysis centers in Buglaria with a high rate of patients undergoing hemodialysis, which is not a good tendency. These patients’ hope is kidney transplantation, which is a big problem in Bulgaria due to lack of donors. This way only a small percent of the patients on hemodialysis get to transplantation.
That’s why treatment of CRF is a challenge for every practitioner. Although there are not much success stories for CRF treatment, delaying the progression of CRF is also a success.
Early diagnosis of CRF is very important; prophylactics; rapid initiation of treatment and a mandatory transition to a hypo-protein diet. There are not many resources we have for initial therapy of CRF. That’s why I was extremely interested with the new preparation Lespeuril 2 years ago, and I started to include it in the conventional therapy for patients with CRF, with close monitoring of patients – clinical – objectively, subjectively and laboratory.
During this two-year period Lespeuril was prescribed to many patients. During this period are traced 98 patients in age 52-92 years, as the ratio of men/women is 52/46 years.
With initial chronic renal failure – 88 patients; with more advanced CRF – 8 patients, and 2 patients on therapy with Erythropoietin – advanced CRF with anemic syndrome.
I am sharing the impressions from the monitoring of prescribing Lespeuril:
In patients with CRF at initial stage with a dose three times a day one capsule was established a reduction in creatinine with 30-50 micromoles/liter even after 30 days. With a dose of 2 times daily one 200 mg capsule there is also a tendency for decreasing of the urea nitrogen with almost the same result – 30-40 micromoles/liter.
With dose of 1 200 mg capsule Lespedeza capitata daily there is also a tendency for improving CRF, but at a slower and more insignificant pace. That’s why this dosage is preferred for chronic usage after an initially higher dose, as well as for prophylactics.
The experience of applying Lespedeza capitata to patients with creatinine above 250 micromoles/liter in a dose of 2×200 mg daily – there is no significant decrease in creatinine, but a tendency for retaining its values for a longer time is reported. With 8 patients no effect was reported after including Lespedeza capitata (which is 9%), and with 80 patients was observed improving the condition (which is 91%).
In carrying out the monitoring of most patients had a further effect of a tendency to improve renal hypertension without the addition of new hypotensive drugs. Similar hypotensive effect we have observed with the use of other quality herbal medicines for kidney diseases.
Generally the use of Lespeuril in a dose 3×1 capsule and 2×1 capsule daily, for early diagnosed CRF in an initial stage, is definitely beneficial in the reduction of creatinine and improvement of the condition. The same applies for a dose of 1 capsule daily, and there is a possibility for long-term use for prevention. For advanced CRF Lespeuril cannot decrease urea nitrogen, but the effect is beneficial and for most of the patients it reduces hypertension. In 8 patients with initial CRF a decrease in urea nitrogen was not reported.
Conclusion – Lespeuril appears as an aid for the spare resources at our disposal for CRF treatment in predialysis stage. It decreases creatinine and improves hypertension and the patients’ confidence. It stimulates the patients to comply even more strictly with the hypo-protein diet. In minimal dose (1 capsule daily) it is a good prevention from CRF.
The ratio of risk/benefit fully supports the usage of Lespedeza capitata (Lespeuril) as a resource of choice which benefits the patients at the moment of discovering CRF. It is applied protractedly, and the dose is decreased if necessary, and interruption is not recommended except in the cases after 2-3 months therapy without CRF improvement.
Dr. Lidia Abadzhieva
doctor nephrologist