Introduction: The use of traditional and other alternative medicines is increasing worldwide despite that these agents are not proven for their efficacy and safety. Compounds that make herbal medicines are largely unknown and the dosage and route of administration are not standardized. Chronic kidney injury is one of the most life threatening and may be an overlooked complication of traditional medicines. The understanding of the magnitude and factors of herbal medicine use will aid in the improving the outcome of patients with chronic kidney disease.
Objectives:
Methodology: This was a cross-sectional study where convenient sampling technique was used and patients with CKD at Bugando Medical Centre, Mwanza, Tanzania were recruited consecutively as from September 2022 to March 2023. Data were collected using standardized questionnaires. The statistical analysis of the data was performed through the Statistical Program SPSS version 20.0.
Results: A total of 250 participants participated in this study. The mean age was 47 ± 14 years. Majority of the participants, 244 (97.6%) had used traditional herbal medicine. A significant number of the participants 139 (55.6%) used local herbs and traditional medicine for years. 42.8% reported that traditional medicine is safe. N (90%) had taken traditional medicine and conventional medicine at the same time. Reasons for using traditional medicine for the majority of participants were due to sociocultural practices or knowledge, relatively high cost of conventional medicine than traditional medicine, and perceived failure of conventional medicine. There were significant relationship between traditional medicine use and sex (p- 0.012) and monthly income (p- 0.01).
Conclusion: We may conclude that, a high proportion of traditional herbal medicine use among chronic kidney disease with poor perception towards its use. Awareness needs to be raised among healthcare professional and the general population regarding traditional herbal medicine. Commonly use herbal preparation should be also further studied to confirm their safety and efficacy.