Hedyotis diffusa (also known as Oldenlandia diffusa or Bai Hua She She Cao) has a long history of use in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), where it is commonly prescribed for its purported "heat-clearing" and "detoxifying" properties. In TCM, kidney infections (often described as "damp-heat" in the lower jiao or urinary tract) are sometimes treated with herbal formulas containing Hedyotis diffusa, usually in combination with other herbs such as Phragmites communis and Polygonum cuspidatum. Traditional texts attribute diuretic, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial effects to the herb, and it is believed to promote urination and reduce swelling, which aligns with TCM concepts for treating urinary tract and kidney infections.

However, scientific research directly supporting the use of Hedyotis diffusa for kidney infections in humans is limited. Some in vitro and animal studies have demonstrated that extracts of Hedyotis diffusa possess antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities, but these findings have not been clearly linked to clinical efficacy in treating kidney infections. No high-quality randomized controlled trials or systematic reviews are currently available to substantiate its effectiveness for this specific indication. Therefore, its use for kidney infections is primarily justified by traditional knowledge rather than robust scientific evidence.