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Herbs for Kidney Stones

| Modified on Mar 22, 2025
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Herbs that are used for kidney stones are usually of two different classes - lithotriptics and demulcents. Lithotriptic herbs help to dissolve stones from the urinary system. Demulcents are herbs that protect tissue (the bladder and urethra in the case of kidney stones.) They become slippery in water, which makes stone evacuation more comfortable.

Lithotriptic Herbs

  • Cornsilk
  • Dandelion
  • Gravel Root
  • Horsetail (Shavegrass)
  • Uva Ursi
  • Juniper Berry
  • Marshmallow

Demulcent Herbs

  • Aloe Vera
  • Chickweed
  • Comfrey
  • Cornsilk
  • Licorice Root
  • Marshmallow
  • Mullein
  • Slippery Elm

Some herbs function as both lithotriptics and demulcents.

Chanca Piedra, also known as stone breaker, is a popular enough remedy that it is in a class by itself for kidney stones!

Herbs can be taken as teas, powdered and encapsulated, or as a tincture. Some herbs are easy to take powdered and mixed into yogurt, applesauce or honey.

Herbs are usually taken several times a day. It can take days or weeks for stones to resolve with herbs, but they are generally a gentle solution. Sometimes pain relief will come quite quickly.

Some herbs are not suitable for pregnancy and breastfeeding; a woman who is pregnant or lactating should be working with a qualified health professional if kidney stones are a problem during these seasons of life. Midwives skilled in herbs should be able to counsel about the suitability of a particular herb for a pregnant or nursing woman.

Herbs should be used with plenty of water, proper rest and a light but nutritious diet. They can be used in conjunction with other remedies like olive oil and apple cider vinegar.

Do you have an herbal remedy for kidney stones? Please send us some feedback!

Continue reading to see which herbs our readers have used for kidney stones!

The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
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18 User Reviews

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Posted by RB (Somewhere in Europe) on 01/03/2024 85 posts
 ★★★★★

What works for me are 2 or 3 caps of Now Kidney Cleanse caps, and 2 or 3 caps of Solaray Total Cleanse Kidney caps; they lessen the pain associated with kidney stones.

I hope this will help somebody!

Herbs
Posted by Horsegram (Maryland) on 07/26/2016
 ★★★★★

I got the best solution to break the stone. Kidney stone can be easily break down when you drink Horse Gram boiled dark brown water. First day, take 2 or 3 times a day then you will see immediate result. no pain, and stone will break down in little pieces. You will not even notice that it came out. Very effective and fast solution for kidney stone.

Replied by Ngozi
(Minna)
08/17/2022

You told us that you healed your kidney stones when you drank "Horse Gram boiled dark brown water." Your sentence is not complete. Was the Horse Gram boiled in dark brown water? If yes, how did you come about the "dark brown water?" Thank you.

RB
(Somewhere in Europe)
01/02/2024
85 posts
★★★★★

Ngozi, you are so right.

I suggest you 1) get some Horse Gram (it is an herb), 2) boil it in water, 3) boil it long enough until the water turns dark brown, and 4) then and only then you drink the dark brown water.

I hope this will help you, or somebody!

Replied by Marnie
(Montana)
03/22/2025

How much horse gram to how much water? How much to drink each time?
Please & thank you.

Herbs
Posted by Ward (Atlanta) on 08/26/2015
 ★★★★★

Kidney stones can be dissolved by eating and drinking Parsley. No remedy - just soak in hot water and drink eat the leaves.

Herbs
Posted by Butch (East Tn., US) on 04/02/2015
 ★★★★★

Hello world, my experiences with kidney stones... To make my story short, I got caught without insurance with a stone attack. Then I remembered the local herb shop, barely walked in, bent over and in pain. Talked with the herbalist and she gave me hydrangea root with marshmallow root. Went straight home and took as directed. Within 7 minutes the pain was gone, and over the next few days, it was like small grains of sand passed in my urine. The stones were dissolved by the hydrangea root, the marshmallow root coats the urinary tract to let the granules slip out. All for about $25 bucks!! ! :)

Herbs
Posted by Rick (North Port, Fl, US) on 02/19/2012
 ★★★★★

I am happy to read of anyone finding relief from kidney stones. I also know of a remedy that learned from a very old book I have. This has worked for for four people that I have shared it with. Get some Queen of the Medow (also called Jo Pye Weed ) root. This plant grows wild in many areas of the country. IT can be purchased at some health food stores and can be found on Ebay. It is very, very cheap. Take some of this root and make a tea. Only one cup and they will pass. One friend of mine had suffered for two years with these and even in and out of the hospital. One day while he was at my house he asked me to look in this old book to see if anything was in it about kidney stones and this is where I saw this cure. It is a old Native American remedy. The next day my friend called me and told me he made a cup of this tea and about 45 min after drinking it he passed them. This has been over eight years ago and he has had no problems since.

Herbs
Posted by Wolfsizer (Marietta, Georgia) on 11/16/2011
 ★★★★★

I had blood in my urine for 3 weeks, and urologist suggested having surgery to remove the kidney stone. Stone never showed up on CT scan or x-ray but I was having pain so he believed there was a stone. I decided to not opt for the surgery and sought advice from a naturopath.

I was told to start drinking 5 cups of cleavers tea a day. I should note that I did do the olive oil/lemon juice flush that same morning. The first day of drinking the tea the pain episodes lessened and I did not need to take my pain meds after that. Every day the pain got better. When the pain came it was in my urethra like a faint stabbing pain instead of in my back so I knew it was working its way out. Then a week after drinking the tea, I felt a quick pinch while urinating and then it was over. I saw a stone in the toilet, which I captured, and measured at 8 mm and was told it would not pass without surgery. I am to say that it will.

Herbs
Posted by Jpark (Spanish Fork, Utah) on 09/02/2011

A wonderful herb to dissolve stones is hydrangea, it comes in capsules. It will break up the stones into smaller more easily passed pieces. It is very helpful for relieving the pain during a kidney stone attack. Take 6 capsules 3-4 times per day, even up to 10 at a time if you are in extreme pain, or try take 2-3 each hour. Continue taking them for a couple weeks, then try the olive oil/lemon juice to flush them out. You don't want to flush them out too early and cause more pain, try to dissolve them first. At about $10 a bottle it is an inexpensive, but very effective solution for your kidney stones. I have used this on several occasions for stones, the first time I was in so much pain I could hardly move, but within 30 minutes of my first dose of hydrangea the pain started to subside to a manageable level.

Herbs
Posted by Katy (Mt Carmel, Il, Usa) on 07/08/2011
 ★★★★★

I had kidney stones and every 3 yrs they would develop... So I began drinking alot of water with baking soda in it.. Since that helps the water be more drinkable if you have hard water. Anyway the baking soda changes the pH of the body so that stones can disolve. Mine were the size of a 50 cent piece so I didn't think it would do any good.

I also took 10 alfalfa every 3 hrs.. As that also helps the pH. On Tues was told these stones needed to be blasted.. Was to be back on following Tues.. And cat scan did not show any stones at all. You can be sure I was very happy about that. Now I have the other kind of stones.... Calcium type.. And the others were Uric acid type. So am trying the olive oil and lemon for these. Am sure it will work... because of many examples on the site.

Herbs
Posted by Raquel (Davao City, Philippines) on 01/08/2011
 ★★★★★

Cebukaw with canyan tea also works, according to my daughter in law who had kidney stones.

Replied by Let It Go
(Los Angeles, California)
12/31/2017
10 posts

Regarding the post from 2011, can someone from the Philippines give us more details? Is Chebukaw - Caesalpinia sappan? What about canyan? What amounts would you take for kidney stones?

Herbs
Posted by Raquel (Davao City, Philippines) on 01/07/2011

I had pain in my back and tried Horsetail tea for five weeks and pau d'arco tea after that for three days. My pain was releived but back again now. so I'm thinking it's kidney stones, not just kidney prob since I'm diabetic. I'll try the crepe myrtle tea or ACV and see what happens.

Herbs
Posted by Vanya (Frankfort, IN) on 06/25/2009
 ★★★★★

Years ago my mom had a kidney stone and she got rid of it drinking tea brewed from hazelnut leaves, put a few leaves in 1 liter boiling water, turn off the stove and cover the pot for 5-10 minutes, strain and drink that all day long, keep refrigerated, you will get rid of your stone in a week. You can do the same procedure with flax seeds, but before put them in the water bake them in the oven just for a minute to crack the seeds open, this one will purify your kidneys... Good Luck!

Herbs
Posted by Denise (Agoura, California) on 12/06/2008
 ★★★★★

I went to the hospital 3 weeks ago with horrible pain had no idea it was a 6mm kidney stone!! Had to spend the night and once home I really was not in pain. But I knew the stone was still there. An X-ray confirmed that. Was scheduled for surgery before Thanksgiving and found this site on lemon juice and olive oil. I cancelled my surgery and thought I would try it... Did it for 4 days and never saw a stone. Discouraged- saw another site and went to the Health Food Store and got pills called Stone Free. Took 5 pills two times a day till bottle was gone. Again never saw a stone. Scheduled surgery again for Dec 8th and went for another X-ray today and NO STONE !!! Doctor couldn't believe I never felt it pass. I don't know what cured it, the combination or one of the remedies... all I know is I will try it again, but hopefully I never will have to. God Bless and have faith....

Herbs
Posted by Brian (Collingdale, Pennsylvania) on 11/11/2008
 ★★★★★

Another potential cure.

My wife has had kidney stones since before I met her. The first one she had (with the excruciating pain!) was the size of a mothball and was on an xray and was diagnosed on a friday. They were going to do either a cat scan or an mri (I never remember) on the following monday to get a better ideal on what she had.

She went online and found multiple instances of parsley and parsley tea, so she made a big pot of tea using three bunches of flat leaf italian parsley. She drank it over the weekend and by monday she was pain free.
When she had the test done, they couldn't find anything and kept going back and forth between the xray and the latest scan and also asking her name to verify the xray. They told her that there must have been dirt on the xray and she asked what the pain was that she had then.

She then told them what she had done and after being confused and saying that it couldn't have helped, they basically told her that she was not telling the truth, Since then, she has had kidney stone type pain and each time she has done parsley tea and in a couple of days she is pain free.

And since a dozen years ago I had a kidney stone (8mm) and had lithotripsy to get rid of it, I will do parsley tea if I ever have kidney stone pain again I will drink a lot of parsley tea.

Herbs
Posted by Melissa (Pilot Grove, MO) on 10/04/2008
 ★★★★★

I wanted to add another remedy to your list for kidney stones. I'm still not sure why this one is not getting out there to the people as quick as it should, since it is such a fast and reliable fix. So, I would like to suggest Banaba Tea.(crepe myrtle) I buy mine from the overseas, though I have seen herbal shops online in the US carry it as well. Japan, the Phillipines, and others primarily use it for diabetes control. I guess that because that is such a big deal, they tend to forget what it originally was used for by people and that was kidney stone relief and other kidney ailments. It's fast thank goodness! Not only do I use it, but many friends and family also. It's much better than the regretfull look doctors give you as they hand you pain pills and pat you on the back to say good luck when they send you home to pass one the old fashion way!

Shockingly enough, not only does it dissolve the problem stone but anyone that was sent home with a strainer will be shocked at just how much other potential stone minerals they had in their kidneys as well, when they begin seeing what looks like clumps of wet sugar in their strainer!

One word though, some care does have to be taken on where you buy it from. I have tried to save some money before and ended up with tea that did nothing for me.

Thanks, Melissa

EC:

Herbs
Posted by Suzanne (Toledo, Ohio) on 10/04/2008
 ★★★★★

I have hyperparathyroidism and had excruciating painful kidney stones. I did some research and I put one heaping tablespoon of marshmallow root (dried) in a mug with room temperature filtered water and let it infuse for 3 hours. I strain it and I then slightly warm it in a pan,( it tastes better if you warm it), not microwave. I was drinking it once every day until I was feeling better. I had a few more stones on and off but there was absolutely no pain! I drink it about once every month as a tonic. I haven't had any more stones. Hurray!(you can get marshmallow root at your health food store)


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