Why unlicensed alternate medicines may be harming kidneys in Telangana now

A Telangana study links unlicensed herbal powders, bhasmas and tonics-often taken without supervision-to rising kidney damage, urging stricter oversight and public awareness across high-risk districts

It may feel harmless to sip a herbal tonic or swallow a bhasma someone swears by to treat joint pain or “build immunity”. However, when kidney disease cases started rising among younger, economically productive individuals who have no history of diabetes or hypertension, or other usual risk factors for chronic kidney disease (CKD), it was found that these “alternative medicines” could be the culprit.

 

According to a study titled Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown Etiology in Telangana: Is It Different?, published in the Indian Journal of Nephrology, nearly 40 per cent of patients with unexplained kidney failure had consumed unlicensed herbal medicines.

 

The report, based on patients from Osmania General Hospital in Hyderabad, points to a growing and dangerous trend of unsupervised alternative medicine use in the state.

What is causing mysterious kidney damage in Telangana?

The research suggests that unprescribed herbal or traditional medicines, commonly used without consulting a qualified practitioner, could be a major cause of unexplained kidney disease in Telangana. Unlike earlier cases in agricultural regions where exposure to heat or pesticides played a role, these patients had different backgrounds, nearly half lived in urban areas like Hyderabad, and over 40 per cent consumed herbal powders, bhasmas, or liquids obtained from unregistered sources, often for issues like joint pain or infertility.

 

Biopsies on 35 patients showed severe and chronic scarring of kidney tissues, a condition known as chronic tubulointerstitial nephritis. Nearly half showed damage to up to 50 per cent of kidney tissue. This type of scarring is irreversible and often silent until critical stages. “The kidney biopsies showed global glomerulosclerosis, meaning the damage was permanent,” said lead researcher Dr Manisha Sahay, speaking to The South First.

Is it only a Telangana issue?

According to the researchers, unexplained kidney disease, now called CKDu or “chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology”, is being reported in other parts of the country like Goa and Puducherry and some other countries, including Sri Lanka, El Salvador, and Egypt.

 

What differs is the suspected cause: in some regions, it is linked to water quality or heat exposure. In Telangana, the new study strongly suggests that unlicensed herbal medicines are a leading risk factor.

Is it safe to take herbal powders and juices without supervision?

Dr Sahay says that just because something is herbal does not mean it is harmless. “People take unlicensed powders, ‘bhasmas’, or liquids without knowing what’s inside. These aren’t regulated or prescribed by registered practitioners. That puts you at serious risk of kidney damage,” she told The South First. Even the presence of heavy metals or contaminants in such preparations can lead to long-term kidney injury.

 

Researchers stress that people must stop taking unprescribed traditional or herbal medicines, especially from unregistered local sources. “Even if it’s from AYUSH systems, the practitioner must be licensed,” advised Dr Sahay. She also called for large-scale studies across India, combining genetic, environmental, and medical data to fully understand the roots of CKDu. 

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