Improved Renal Function Indices with Long-term Korean Herbal Medicine in an End-Stage Renal Disease Patient on Peritoneal Dialysis: A Case Report

Background: Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is a renal replacement therapy that removes uremic toxins and excess fluid through diffusion and osmotic ultrafiltration. After PD initiation, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine (Cr) levels typically do not consistently decline. Moreover, residual renal function gradually decreases over time. Therefore, adjunctive treatments are necessary to slow this progression, and Korean medicine may be a promising option.Case presentation: A 25-year-old male on PD was administered Soshiho-tang-hap-Oryeong-san for approximately three months, followed by Yukmijihwang-tang-hap-Oryeong-san for the subsequent year. During treatment, BUN decreased from 102.3 mg/dL to 30.3 mg/dL and Cr from 11.85 mg/dL to 2.95 mg/dL; red blood cell and hemoglobin levels returned to the normal range. No adverse effects were observed in serum albumin levels, liver function tests, or electrolyte profiles.Conclusion: This case demonstrates that Korean medicine combined with PD was associated with sustained improvement in renal function indices without observed adverse effects, suggesting its potential as an adjunctive therapy.