Studies on Antilithiatic Properties of Tamarindus Indica and Terminalia Arjuna

Abstract

Urinary stones are one of the oldest and the most common afflictions in humans. This disease has tormented humans since the earliest records of civilization. As many as 10:0% of men and 3:0% of women have a stone during their adult lives. Calcium containing stones are the most common comprising about 75% of all urinary calculi, which may be in the form of pure calcium oxalate (50%) or calcium phosphate (5%) and a mixture of both (45%). Although, there are many medical treatments available, yet not much progress has been made in curing the disease. Techniques like extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL), percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) and open surgery have many side effects like bleeding, pain related to passage of stone fragments, failure to fragment the stone etc., thereby requiring a possible need for additional or alternative interventions. newlineAn alternative to avoid such complications is the use of phytotherapy. A number of plants have been mentioned in Indian Ayurvedic system which play a vital role in the treatment of kidney stones. In the present study, the inhibitory potency of Tamarindus indica fruit and Terminalia arjuna bark has been investigated on various stages of calcium phosphate mineralization and on nucleation and growth of calcium oxalate monohydrate both in vitro and in vivo. newline