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- Title
A traditional Chinese herbal antilithic formula, Wulingsan, effectively prevents the renal deposition of calcium oxalate crystal in ethylene glycol-fed rats.
- Authors
Chou-Huang Tsai; Yu-Cheng Chen; Lieh-Der Chen; Tien-Chien Pan; Chien-Yi Ho; Ming-Tsung Lai; Fuu-Jen Tsai; Wen-Chi Chen
- Abstract
We investigated the effects of a traditional Chinese herbal formula, Wulingsan (WLS), on renal stone prevention using an ethylene glycol-induced nephrocalcinosis rat model. Forty-one male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided into four groups. Group 1 ( n = 8) was the normal control; group 2 ( n = 11) served as the placebo group, and received a gastric gavage of starch and 0.75% ethylene glycol (EG) as a stone inducer; group 3 received EG and a low dose of WLS (375 mg/kg); and group 4 received EG and a high dose of WLS (1,125 mg/kg). Baseline and final 24 h urine samples were collected individually; biochemical data of urine and serum were also obtained at the beginning and at the end of the experiment. After 4 weeks, animals were killed and kidneys were harvested. The kidney specimens were examined by polarized light microscopy and the crystal deposits were evaluated by a semi-quantitative scoring method using computer software ( ImageScoring). The results revealed that the rats of placebo group gained the least significant body weight; in contrast, the rats of WLS-fed groups could effectively reverse it. The placebo group exhibited lower levels of free calcium ( p = 0.059) and significantly lower serum phosphorus ( p = 0.015) in urine than WLS-fed rats. Histological findings of kidneys revealed tubular destruction, damage and inflammatory reactions in the EG-water rats. The crystal deposit scores dropped significantly in the WLS groups, from 1.40 to 0.46 in the low-dose group and from 1.40 to 0.45 in the high-dose group. Overall, WLS effectively inhibited the deposition of calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystal and lowered the incidence of stones in rats ( p = 0.035). In conclusion, WLS significantly reduced the severity of calcium oxalate crystal deposits in rat kidneys, indicating that Wulingsan may be an effective antilithic herbal formula.
- Subjects
HERBAL medicine; CALCIUM oxalate; ETHYLENE glycol; KIDNEY calcification; LABORATORY rats
- Publication
Urological Research, 2008, Vol 36, Issue 1, p17
- ISSN
0300-5623
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s00240-007-0122-4