Forskolin for Urinary Tract Infections

Forskolin, an herbal medicine made from the Asiatic coleus plant, may help treat urinary tract infections (UTIs), according to the results of a new study.

Forskolin, a root extract from Coleus forskohlii, has been used for a long time in traditional Asian systems of medicine to treat angina, asthma, bronchitis, epilepsy, insomnia, painful micturation, skin rashes and a wide range of digestive problems. Numerous studies on forskolin have been conducted since the 1970s. Basic science research has revealed several properties of forskolin, which are promising for clinical use.

Researchers from Duke University tested forskolin in female mice with bladder infections caused by E. coli bacteria, which cause most UTIs.

Twenty-four hours after the mice were infected with E. coli, the researchers injected forskolin directly into the mice's bladders or their bellies. For comparison, the scientists injected saltwater into the bladders of other female mice with E. coli bladder infections.

The study found that one day after treatment, the mice in the forskolin group had less E. coli bacteria in their bladders than the mice that received the saltwater shot. Additionally, the forskolin group had lower levels of inflammatory chemicals in their urine.

Researchers also noted that antibiotics get rid of most bacteria that cause UTIs, but some bacteria may hide in the bladder's lining. Forskolin may force those hidden bacteria out of the bladder's lining, where antibiotics could target them.

For more information about integrative therapies for urinary tract infections (UTIs), please visit Natural Standard's Medical Conditions database.

Comments

[Jacob S. Cranberry Pills]

The other research I came across showed that the proanthcyanidins kept the bacteria from adhering to the surface, which keeps the bacteria from multiplying.

The folk knowledge about the acidity simply isn't true.

The same proanthocyanidins in cranberries keep microorganisms from causing infection as well.

[no prescription needed]

I support all the herbal medicine. I heard that cranberries help with that kind of problem too!

[vh]

I do agree with MV’s comment. Yes, the study of forskolin looks very promising; however, we should stick to what has been proved to work. I believe more studies are needed before we can be sure that this herb is safe and effective in treating UTIs.

[Jason]

On the levaquin site it says there is a possibility of the antibiotic interacting with antacids and multivitamins. These and other medications make it more difficult for levaquin to be absorbed properly. It must be frustrating to have to deal with UTIs constantly, but I think you should consult your doctor about forskolin before you take it because of the possibility of reactions.

[kaitlin]

Jean, I’m sorry that you have to deal with recurrent UTIs, and it is a problem I’ve seen many times. Despite previous treatment with antibiotics, a UTI can come back and I understand your frustration. As bacteria become more resistant to antibiotics, so does the frequency of recurrent UTIs. Data are limited. Based on the literature, the way it works is by increasing cAMP, which is a chemical messenger used for intracellular signal transduction. CAMP regulates many effects in your body, including those of glucagon and calcium channels, which would be concerning for your diabetes and hypertension. It acts as a vasodilator and if combined with your blood pressure medications, it can adversely result in hypotension (significantly lowers your blood pressure).

It has been proposed that forskolin can also increase the amount of glucose (sugar) in your body. My suggestion is to avoid using forskolin because it may interact with your medications and medical conditions.

[Jean]

I have had frequent UTIs for years. I have drank gallons of cranberry juice, and they still come back. I was just diagnosed with another UTI, the second this month. I am taking five 500 milligrams of Levaquin® tablets and just bought a bottle of forskolin to take with it after reading an article stating good results in pushing the E-coli out of the folds in the bladder so the antibiotic can get at them.

I plan on taking two of the forskolin a day. Will this cause problems with diabetes, high blood pressure meds, antidepressants and Xanax®? I am just plain tired of it.

My urologist put me on long-term antibiotics to get rid of it and practically as soon as I went off of them it came back. I am not usually one to try new things against medical advice, but I am getting desperate.

[Heather Steinmiller]

Re: UTIs in men vs. women

Yes, generally, they are MUCH more common in women, but I would like y'all to benefit from my situation. My little boy, age 11, has a condition known as bilateral vesicouretal reflux. (Say that 10 times fast!) This means urine backs up into his ureters up to his kidneys when he pees. He's had recurrent UTIs since the age of 4. We were a military family, so maybe his condition could have been diagnosed sooner, but oh well. If the diagnosis is caught early, prophylactic antibiotics can sometimes help the ureters develop properly. In my son's case, he will need surgery to correct the situation. I am very interested in the use of forskolin as a treatment to get rid of all the bacteria, both for him and for me, as I also have a long history of recurring UTIs. Cranberry has not worked for me. Just wanted to post a not-very-well-known medical condition in case it may help someone else.

[Paul]

I am most concerned with the administration of the forskolin in this study. I can't imagine a UTI that is so bad that it would need an injection into the bladder! I don't know many people that would choose that over cranberry or other treatments either. If it does have anti-platelet activity, as MV suggests, then I would be hesitant to take it by mouth. Last thing you want when dealing with a UTI is to start having uncontrolled bleeding.

On a separate note for Rachelle...UTIs are much more common in women than men. Elderly men, and sometimes baby boys will get UTIs, but otherwise it's pretty much associated with women.

[Emily P.]

Although forskolin looks promising based on the results of this study, I think we should stick with what we know for now. Cranberry and antibiotics work well for UTIs. Why take the risk of interaction with a supplement that has been loosely studied?

[MV]

There are some studies about forskolin and its use in platelet aggregation. So in that respect, it does seem to have some purpose in preventing cells from sticking together. I am also curious as to why it is not as recommended as much as cranberry juice for UTIs.

[Lee]

I would agree with the cranberry comments. Cellular adhesion of E.coli definitely is lowered with cranberry. Cranberry also acidifies the urine, which has an inhibitory growth function on E.coli. This may also be why cranberry helps so much! Cranberry is also a good fruit drink that tastes really great on summer days. That is probably why it's so popular as well!

[Athena]

Forskolin may interact with conventional drugs and other medical conditions. To be on the safe side, I would feel more comfortable to recommend cranberry pills for UTIs from a healthcare perspective. Evidence is well-established for cranberry pills to treat UTI than forskolin. Cranberry pills are considered a more established treatment for UTIs than forskolin.

[Rachelle Provost]

How would they administer the forskolin to humans? It seems a lot easier to inject it into the bellies of mice than humans. Would it also be available in oral or topical preparations? This may be a dumb question, but are UTI's mostly or only a problem in women, or do men get them too? I think that there is no comparison between mice and humans in this case and that the study conclusions are thus incorrect and misleading.

[Dagan B]

This seems like a pretty good little herb. However, if this herb was discovered and had an article published about it in 1986, doesn't anyone wonder why it hasn't become more popular over the past 20 years?

[W. Thomas]

My online research on forskolin showed that the extract of this plant has many potentially promising uses due to its stimulating effects on cyclic AMP. I noticed that it is currently being sold as a supplement, with promises of building lean body mass.

Research into its potential medicinal benefits is still in the infancy stages, and this is not a natural food. As we know from products like foxglove, medically beneficial plants can also be dangerous if consumed in excessive amounts or with certain co-existing conditions. Are there any potential toxicities or side effects associated with ingesting extract of forskolin? It seems a bit risky for people to be taking this supplement before research has fully disclosed the potential risks associated with it.

[Cultural relativism]

I prefer cranberries for UTIs. The constituents in this berry prevent the adhesion of bacteria to the cells that line the bladder. But maybe if forskolin were sold in the supermarket, I’d be partial to this plant.

[Anonymous]

"Researchers also noted that antibiotics get rid of most bacteria that cause UTIs, but some bacteria may hide in the bladder's lining. Forskolin may force those hidden bacteria out of the bladder's lining, where antibiotics could target them."

Apparently, forskolin helps to relax the detrusor muscle via cyclic AMP, which is why it can possibly force bacteria out of the bladder. In 1986 Morita T, et al. published a journal article investigating this in the Journal of Urology.

[J.W.]

Several studies suggest that cranberry juice may help prevent urinary tract infections. Cranberry appears to work by preventing bacteria from sticking to cells that line the bladder.

[Dexter Otis Grenne]

Why was saltwater used? Why didn't they just leave that group alone? Is that supposed to be a remedy for E. coli?