Efficacy and safety of the phytotherapeutic drug Canephron® N in prevention and treatment of urogenital and gestational disease: review of clinical experience in Eastern Europe and Central Asia

Abstract

This review evaluates 17 clinical studies from 18 selected publications concerning the safety, tolerability, and additional effects of the phytotherapeutic drug, Canephron® N (CAN, containing the medicinal plants, Centaurium erythraea, Levisticum officinale, and Rosmarinus officinalis) as standard therapy in various clinical settings. Its role in the prophylaxis and treatment of urinary tract infections in adults and in children, therapy and prophylaxis in adult patients with renal stones, treatment and prevention of urinary tract infections and other gestational diseases in pregnancy, and also its safety and tolerability. The dosage was as recommended and over a varying duration. Overall, CAN was shown to be effective in the treatment and prophylaxis of UTI compared with standard therapy, both in adults and children, and there was a reduced number of relapses. Children undergoing surgical correction of vesicoureteral reflux benefited from a prophylactic course of CAN. Ten-day add on therapy increased the rate of spontaneous elimination of kidney stones compared with standard therapy alone and may also have had a positive effect on stone prevention. Pregnant women showed earlier relief of symptoms and normalization of pyuria on additional treatment with the herbal combination. Only one adverse effect was reported (skin rash) in the 3115 patients included in this review. No teratogenic, embryotoxic, or fetotoxic effects, or negative interference with the psychological development or health of children born of mothers treated with the drug were reported. Because some of the studies were not well designed, their statistical significance remains unclear.

Efficacy Evaluation of the Phytotherapeutic Drug Canephron N in the Complex Treatment of Patients With Urolithiasis Using Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy

“…This medical drug consists of a fixed combination of herbal components standardized by the composition of key active ingredients of herbs: centaury, lovage root and medical rosemary leaves. Such combined composition provides a complex effect on the kidneys and the urinary tracts that is expressed in a moderate diuretic [11,17] and spasmolytic action [18] associated with the ability of the study drug to improve urodynamics and contribute to faster elimination of calculi [19,20]. During this study, more rapid elimination of calculi fragments from the urinary tracts was also observed.…”

“…Also, due to these properties, there were fewer cases (by 46.5 %) of lumbar pain or abdominal discomfort during elimination of disintegrated stone fragments in the treatment group. Anti-inflammatory action of herbal components in Canephron N [11] is of great importance, which contributes to rapid regression of consequences of the urinary tract mucosa injury and eradication of leukocyturia. This is supported by data of our study when we observed that the frequency of leukocyturia in the treatment group was 56.5 % less than in the control group.…”

“…At this time, there is considerable experience in using Canephron N both in treatment and metaphylaxis of urolithiasis [11,12]. However, there is a limited number of studies where the ability of Canephron N to potentiate ESWL effect and prevent the risk of UL recurrence was evaluated.…”

Recent advances in understanding and managing urolithiasis

“…Standardized preparations like Canephron N containing centaury, lovage, and rosemary exhibit not only anti-oxidative and nephroprotective but also diuretic and anti-inflammatory effects. This unique combination of antiurolithiatic effects is very promising 32, 33 . However, this has to be validated by randomized studies.…”

Limited effectiveness of over-the-counter plant preparations used for the treatment of urinary tract infections as inhibitors of the urease activity fromStaphylococcus saprophyticus

“…A number of potentially useful plants have been identified in this way, which have been incorporated into commercial products (Albrecht et al . ; Naber ).…”