Volume 163, 2 April 2015, Pages 60–67
Research Paper
Preventive treatment of calcium oxalate crystal deposition with immortal flowers
Abstract
Ethnopharmacological relevance
A
number of medicinal plants are used for their diuretic, urolithiatic
and anti-inflammatory effects on urinary system problems in Turkey and
the most common traditional remedy for kidney stones is the tea of
immortal flowers. The aim of this study is to evaluate the preventive
effect of infusions prepared from capitulums of Helichrysum graveolens (M.Bieb.) Sweet (HG) and Helichrysum stoechas ssp. barellieri (Ten.) Nyman (HS) on formation of kidney stones.
Materials and method
Sodium
oxalate (Ox-70 mg/kg intraperitoneally) was used to induce kidney
stones on Wistar albino rats. At the same time, two different doses of
the plant extracts (HG: 62.5 and 125 mg/kg; HS: 78 and
156 mg/kg) were dissolved in the drinking water and administered to
animals for 5 days. Potassium citrate was used as positive control in
the experiments. During the experiment, water intake, urine volume and
body weights of the animals were recorded. At the end of the
experiments, liver, kidney and body weights of the animals were
determined; biochemical analysis were conducted on urine, blood and
plasma samples. Histopathological changes in kidney tissues were
examined and statistical analysis were evaluated.
Results
HS
extract showed the highest preventive effect at 156 mg/kg dose (stone
formation score: 1.16), whereas a number of kidney stones were maximum
in sodium oxalate group (stone formation score: 2.66). Helichrysum extracts decreased urine oxalate and uric acid levels and increased citrate levels significantly. In addition, Helichrysum extracts regulated the negative changes in biochemical and hematological parameters occurred after Ox injection.
Conclusions
We conclude that Helichrysum
extracts could reduce the formation and growth of kidney stones in
Ox-induced urolithiasis and can be beneficial for patients with
recurrent stones. In addition, this is the first study on the preventive
effect of immortal flowers.
Graphical abstract
Keywords
- Calcium oxalate crystallization;
- Helichrysum;
- Asteraceae;
- Immortal flowers;
- Kidney stone;
- Urolithiasis
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