Antilithic Effects of Extracts from Urtica dentata Hand on Calcium Oxalate Urinary Stones in Rats

• Published in: Journal of Huazhong University of Science and Technology. Medical sciences Vol. 31; no. 5; pp. 673 - 677
• Main Author: 向明 张莎莎 鲁憬莉 李璐璐 侯文睿 谢明星 曾莹
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Huazhong University of Science and Technology 01.10.2011; Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resources Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College,Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China%Department of Ultrasonography%Department of Pharmaceutics, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
• Subjects: 1-Butanol - chemistry; Animals; Calcium Oxalate; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - therapeutic use; Kidney Calculi - chemically induced; Kidney Calculi - chemistry; Kidney Calculi - drug therapy; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Phytotherapy; Plant Extracts - therapeutic use; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Urticaceae - chemistry; 大鼠; 尿路结石; 彩色多普勒; 水提取物; 石油醚提取物; 肾功能损害; 草酸钙晶体; 荨麻; extracts; ammonium chloride; calcium oxalate urinary stones; hyperoxaluria; Hand; ethylene glycol; extracts,Urtica dentata Hand
• ISSN: 1672-0733; 1993-1352
• DOI: 10.1007/s11596-011-0580-3

This study examined the potential antilithic effects of a traditional Chinese medicine Urtica dentata Hand （UDH） in experimental rats and screened the optimal extract of UDH as a possible therapeutic agent for kidney stones. The rat model of urinary calcium oxalate stones was induced by intragastric （i.g.） administration of 2 mL of 1.25% ethylene glycol （EG） and 1% ammonium chloride （AC） for 28 days and was confirmed by Color Doppler ultrasound imaging. The rats in different experimental groups were then intragastrically given petroleum ether extract （PEE）, N-butanol extract （NBE）, aqueous extract （AqE） of UDH, Jieshitong （positive control drug）, and saline, respectively. Treatment with NBE significantly reduced the elevated levels of urinary calcium, uric acid, phosphate, as well as increased urinary output. Accordingly, the increased calcium, oxalate levels and the number of calcium oxalate crystals deposits were remarkably reverted in the renal tissue of NBE-treated rats. In addition, NBE also prevented the impairment of renal function to decrease the contents of blood urea nitrogen （BUN） and creatinine. Taken together, these data suggest that NBE of UDH has a beneficial effect on calcium oxalate urinary stones in rats by flushing the stones out and protecting renal function.