Evaluation of anti-urolithiatic potential of ethyl acetate extract of Pedalium murex L. on struvite crystal (kidney stone)

The Anti-urolithiatic effect of the roots of Saussurea costus (falc) Lipsch agonist ethylene glycol and magnesium oxide induced urolithiasis in rats

Phytotherapy, which involves the use of plant extracts and natural compounds for medicinal purposes, is indeed a promising alternative for managing urinary lithiasis. Many plants have been studied for their potential to prevent and treat kidney stones, and they may offer a more natural and potentially less harmful approach compared to conventional treatments. Additionally, phytotherapy may be more cost-effective. The aim of the present study was to investigate the antilithic potential of extracts and essential oils of Saussurea costus (Falc) Lipsch in two in vivo models, one on ethylene glycol-induced calcium oxalate crystal formation and the other to assess the effects of these extracts on magnesium oxide-induced struvite crystal formation. The experiment involved the administration of different doses of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of S. costus (200 and 400 mg/kg) and essential oils (25 and 50 mg/kg) to male Wistar rats, followed by the evaluation of various physiological, biochemical and histopathological parameters. The results demonstrated that the administration of S. costus essential oils and extracts had significant effects on the rats, influencing body weight, urine volume, crystal deposition, cytobacteriological examination of urine, and serum biochemical parameters. Histopathological examinations revealed varying impacts on the kidneys and livers of the treated rats. The findings suggest that S. costus extracts and essential oils may hold promise in inhibiting calcium oxalate crystal formation in vivo and influencing various physiological and biochemical parameters in rats. Overall, the 200 mg/kg ethanolic extract of S. costus demonstrated antilithiatic efficacy, did not exhibit signs of toxicity and reduced the number of crystals in the kidneys. Furthermore, the study did not find a significant effect on reducing struvite crystals.

Investigation of the potential anti-urolithiatic activity of Alhagi maurorum (Boiss.) grown wild in Al-Ahsa (Eastern Province), Saudi Arabia

Abstract The potential of Alhagi maurorum (Boiss.) aqueous extract (AME), used in traditional medicine for treatment or prevention of urolithiasis, to dissolve calcium oxalate stones in vitro was evaluated. In order to determine the litholytic potential of the extract, Calcium oxalate urinary stones were incubated during 12 weeks under continuous shaking in the presence of AME, Rowanix or NaCl 9 g/mL solution were used as controls. After the incubation period, the residual weight of the treated calculi was determined and the rate of dissolution was calculated. The medium pH variation was measured and changes in the calcium oxalate crystals at the stone surface were assessed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results showed a significant dissolution effect for the extract on the kidney calculi during the experimentation period. At the end of the experiment, the percentages of calculi weight decrease were 41.23, 4.97 and 55.67% for the extract, NaCl solution and Rowanix, respectively. Gas Chromatography analysis revealed mainly the presence of the following phyto-compounds: Cyclopropenone, 2,3-diphenyl; 1-Nonadecanol; methyl-alpha-D-mannopyranoside; cis-9-Hexadecenal. These compounds unarguably play crucial roles in the health care system especially in cancer treatment and many other diseases including urolithiasis. The urinary stone dissolution, independent of medium pH, could be attributed to formation of complexes between the phytochemical compounds in the extract and the calculi.

Studies on phytochemical, mineral content, in vitro anti-urolithiatic and anti-diabetic activities of horse gram flour extracts and its biosynthesized Ag nanoparticles

The current study aims to examine the use of horse gram flour and its extracts as a low-cost source of mineral content with anti-urolithiatic, anti-diabetic properties and to compare the biological activities with its biosynthesized AgNPs. The secondary metabolites and the macro and micronutrients present in the selected herbal product, reinforces the utility of the horse gram as a promising herbal. Present investigation reveals that the biomass chosen for the study as a cheap natural source with valuable mineral content of calcium (43.06 mg/L), followed by potassium (13.78 mg/L) and sodium (6.94 mg/L). The grain's water extracts found to contain carbohydrate as dominating component with the value of (65.10 ± 0.95 mg g^-1 equivalent). Whereas both water and ethanol extract contain TPC (phenol) viz; 60.13 ± 2.45 mg g^-1, 68.24 ± 1.33 mg g^-1, TTC (terpenoids)53.21 ± 1.4 mg g^-1,51.27 ± 2.65 mg g^-1, followed by TSC (sterol)as 45.58 ± 1.7 mg g^-1, 57.27 ± 1.65 mg g^-1 in moderate amounts respectively. The aqueous extract of Horse gram was used for the synthesis the AgNPs through a straightforward green approach and characterized by FESEM, TEM, zeta potential, X-ray diffraction, UV spectroscopy and particle size measurement. These studies demonstrate the production of AgNPs with an average particle size of 30 nm-60 nm. Investigation on anti-urolithiatic property with aqueous extract, (HGW), ethanol extract (HGE) and its biosynthesized Ag nanoparticles (HG-Ag) reveal that, among the three samples chosen, the biosynthesized Ag nanoparticles possess the best inhibiting activity. The disintegration of crystals in gel medium further validated the extracts and Ag nanoparticles crystal growth inhibitory activity, at concentrations of 2% for extracts and 200 μg/ml for AgNPs. Further, it is also found that the HG-Ag nanoparticle exhibit good anti-diabetic activity (75.36%) than the other two extracts (HGW Extract-67.18% & HGE Extract-44.29%). Thus, the seed flour extracts and its AgNps demonstrated to be a promising natural herbal product with potential mineral content, antidiabetic and anti-urolithiatic activities which could be a used as a value-added product in the dietary formulations.

In silico screening and molecular docking study of compounds from Pedalium murex L. with Vasopressin2 receptor target for Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease

Background

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is frequently inherited disease. The medicinal plant Pedalium murex (P. murex) Linn, that has anti-inflammatory, antiurolithiatic, and diuretic properties, has a greater tendency to cure urinary defects. P. Murex compounds have been studied in order to find an effective treatment against the Vasopressin 2 receptor (V2R), which is a target for ADPKD. The compound structures were designed using ChemSketch software, which was then optimised for the exploration of pharmacokinetic properties. Finally, AutoDock VINA programme was used to execute molecular docking, and the findings were analysed and visualised in Discovery studio visualizer.

Results

Virtual screening using PyRx software finds seven compounds from P. murex with binding affinities ranging from − 8.6 to − 5.8 kcal/mol, which will be used for further pharmacological characteristics study. Luteolin has a higher druglikeness and an overall drug score of 0.84, indicating as a most suitable compound. Furthermore, luteolin docking and bonding study reveals improved receptor (V2R) H-bonding with Phe105(2.26 and 2.96), Gln119(2.78), and any Lys116(2.16).

Conclusions

Based on affinity score, screening of various compounds from P. murex against the V2R target for the ADPKD showed that the phytocompound luteolin has superior pharmacological characteristics and bonding. Luteolin from P. murex can be used as a possible therapeutic candidate after rigorous in silico investigation.

Graphic abstract

Efficacy of cystone versus tamsulosin in treatment of stent-related lower urinary tract symptoms

Objective:

Double-J stent is a common tool used in urological procedures that is inserted for 2–6 weeks, but it may induce abdominal and flank pain, incontinence and irritative urinary symptoms. Alleviation of such symptoms would be useful to improve the patients’ quality of life. Accordingly, in this study, the efficacy of cystone versus tamsulosin in the treatment of double-J stent-related lower urinary tract symptoms was determined.

Materials and methods:

In this randomised clinical trial, 128 patients who required double-J stent insertion after transureteral lithotripsy during 2018–2019 were enrolled. They were randomly assigned to receive either cystone, tamsulosin, both, or placebo. The international prostate symptom score and visual analogue score data were recorded at baseline, after 2 and 4 weeks across the groups.

Results:

The international prostate symptom score and visual analogue score factors were statistically different across the case groups receiving cystone, tamsulosin and both drugs versus placebo ( P=0.001). Two weeks after drug administration, the visual analogue score and international prostate symptom score were not statistically different in the tamsulosin, cystone and dual therapy groups; however, after 4 weeks the cystone group had the lowest symptoms.

Conclusion:

Both tamsulosin and cystone are efficient drugs which would relieve stent-related lower urinary tract symptoms. The administration of cystone with or without tamsulosin for 4 weeks may have the best result in reducing the visual analogue score and international prostate symptom score. Level of evidence: Level I, 1b, therapeutic study, randomised controlled trial

Effect of traditionally used herb Pedalium murex L. and its active compound pedalitin on urease expression - For the management of kidney stone

Pedalium murex L. is a medicinal herb that has been used for the treatment of diseases related to kidney in the traditional system of medicine. The current study aims to study the effect of ethyl acetate extract of P. murex (EAEP) and its fractionated compound pedalitin against urease production and UreC gene expression in Proteus mirabilis. The selected reference strain Proteus mirabilis (MTCC 425) and the isolates culture of Proteus mirabilis were subjected to study the antibacterial efficacy of P. murex. Expression analysis of P. mirabilis urease gene was successfully done by QPCR. The ethyl acetate extract effectively inhibit the reference Proteus mirabilis and bacterial isolates of Proteus mirabilis in the clinical samples studied. EAEP has showed more potent activity (56.7%) against urease enzyme and pedalitin also exhibited potent activity (30.1%). Using qPCR, the expression of UreC gene of P. mirabilis was controlled by EAEP and also its bioactive compound pedalitin. The present study clearly demonstrated the potency of P. murex in controlling the growth of pathogenic P. mirabilis and to control the expression of urease enzyme production as well as to restrict the urease gene expression in P. mirabilis.