Aqueous extract of Parkinsonia aculeata has an anti-urolithiatic effect in rats

Abstract Introduction: Many antioxidant agents have been studied for prevention and treatment of the kidney stone disease in animals and humans. Parkinsonia aculeate (P. aculeate) has a wide range of pharmacological and biological activities, particularly antioxidant properties. The goal of this research was to investigate the anti-urolithiatic effect of P. aculeate extract on ethylene glycol induced renal calculi.Materials and methods: A total of 42 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into six equal groups with seven rats in each group: Group A served as healthy control group and received distilled water for 30 days. Group B served as ethylene glycol control group and received 1% v/v ethylene glycol in distilled water for 30 days. Group C, D, and E animals (preventive groups) concurrently received 1% v/v ethylene glycol in distilled water along with extract of P. aculeata orally for 30 days in doses of 100 mg/kg (low dose), 200 mg/kg (moderate dose), and 300 mg/kg (high dose), respectively. Group F (treatment groups) received 1% v/v ethylene glycol in distilled water for the first 30 days along with extract of P. aculeata 300 mg/kg orally from 15th to 30th days. At the end of study period, 24-hour urine and serum samples were collected and analyzed. All rats were sacrificed and both kidneys were removed, weighed and histopathologically evaluated for calcium oxalate crystals.Results: Ethylene glycol significantly decreased serum calcium, urinary levels of creatinine, calcium and uric acid. On the contrary, it significantly increased 24-hour urine volume, kidney weight, and calcium oxalate deposits. The highest number of calcium oxalate crystal depositions were in the high dose preventive group (76.6%), which is statistically significant difference with other groups including ethylene glycol control (70%), low dose preventive (72%), treatment (38%), and moderate dose preventive (42%) groups (P value < 0.05). Administration of extract of P. aculeata significantly reduced the production of calcium oxalate stones in moderate dose preventive and treatment group. However, P. Aculeata extract was not effective in reducing the formation of calcium oxalate stones in low dose and high dose preventive groups. Interestingly, the number of calcium oxalate deposits in the renal tubules of high dose preventive group was significantly more than the ethylene glycol control group.Conclusions: Extract of P. aculeata has preventive and therapeutic effects in ethylene glycol induced renal calculi in Wistar rat. Further studies are necessary to clarify the mechanism underlying this effect.