Evaluation of Antiurolithiatic potential of Kigelia africana fruits in albino rats
 Asheesh Kumar GUPTA*^,°, Preeti KOTHIYAL**, Suneel PANDEY***
 * Dev Bhumi Institute of Pharmacy & Research, Dev Bhoomi Campus, Chakrata Road Navgaon, Manduwala, Dehradun –248007, Uttarakhand, India
 ** 2Shri Guru Ram Rai Institute of Technology & Science P.O. Box–80, Patel Nagar Dehradun–248001, Uttarakhand,India
 *** Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University, Mahatma Jyotiba Fuley Shaikshanik Parisar, Amravati Road, Nagpur- 440 033, Maharashtra, India
 ° Corresponding Author E-mail: pandeysuneel@rediffmail.com

Summary

Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth. (Family; Bignoniaceae) is a widely used for treatment of various diseases including renal disorders in Africa and India as traditional medicine. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antiurolithiatic activity of alcoholic and aqueous extract of Kigelia africana fruits (KAFE) as treatment for renal stones. In vitro calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystallization inhibitory effect of KAFE was determined by measuring crystal size microscopically and crystal dissolution quantitatively in synthetic urine. In a rat model of urolithiasis, induced by adding 0.75% ethylene glycol (EG) in drinking water and effect of simultaneous treatment of KAFE (100-200 mg/kg) was observed for 28 days. KAFE inhibited CaOx nucleation, aggregation and crystal formation in the synthetic urine in vitro. The lithogenic treatment caused polyurea, weight loss, hyperoxaluria and impairment of renal function which was prevented by KAFE. Hyperoxaluria and CaOx crystal deposition in the renal tubules caused by EG intake was prevented by KAFE treatment. This study indicates that the antiurolithiatic activity of Kigelia africana fruit extracts (KAFE) possibly mediated through inhibition of CaOx crystallization, hypo-oxaluria and improvement of kidney function as well as the cytoprotective effect may justify its curative and prophylactic use in urolithiasis.
 

Key Words
 

Calcium oxalate, Ethylene glycol, Hyperoxaluria, Urolithiasis.