Kidney disorders, encompassing acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD), represent a substantial and escalating global health burden, affecting an estimated 850 million individuals worldwide. Conventional pharmacological approaches, including angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, diuretics, and immunosuppressants, while effective in disease management, are often associated with adverse effects such as nephrotoxicity, electrolyte imbalances, and progression to end-stage renal disease. These limitations have stimulated considerable scientific interest in medicinal plants as complementary or adjunctive therapeutic strategies. The present review critically examines the pharmacological basis of plant-based interventions in renal disorders, with particular emphasis on mechanisms including antioxidant defense through Nrf2 activation and reactive oxygen species scavenging, anti-inflammatory pathways via NF-κB suppression, diuretic modulation, nephroprotection against nephrotoxin-induced injury, and prevention of renal fibrosis through TGF-β1 inhibition. Bioactive phytochemical classes including flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, saponins, and polyphenols are discussed in relation to their pharmacological targets within the kidney. Additionally, the review encompasses preclinical evidence from animal models of AKI and CKD, available clinical data, formulation strategies for improving bioavailability, and regulatory considerations for translating plant-based therapies. Collectively, current evidence supports the nephroprotective potential of several medicinal plants; however, rigorous, well-designed clinical trials and standardized phytochemical profiling remain essential prerequisites for their integration into mainstream renal therapeutics.