Evaluation of a Polyherbal Formulation for antiurolithitic activity: A Biochemical and Histopathological analysis in ethylene glycol induced rat model
Abstract
Urolithiasis (kidney stones) is a prevalent urinary system disorder affecting populations worldwide and has been recognized as a long-standing human ailment, contributing to renal failure while various conventional therapies exist for urolithiasis, they are often associated with undesirable side effects. In India, numerous herbal formulations are utilized for treating urolithiasis, known for their efficacy and safety. Specifically, extracts from Celosia argentea seeds, Cissampelos pareira roots, and Bergenia ligulata rhizomes exhibit anti-urolithitic activity. However, combining these herbs in a particular ratio often yields greater therapeutic effects and reduces toxicity compared to using single extracts. Therefore, this research designed to scientifically evaluate anti-urolithic efficacy of polyherbal formulation against urolithiasis using an ethylene glycol (EG)-induced model in rats. Rats were administered EG (0.75 v/v) with water for 28 days to cause renal stone formation, and simultaneously received a single dose of the herbal formulation orally once daily. On day 28, 24-hour urine and serum samples were collected, along with kidney homogenate, for biochemical analysis and histological examination. Cystone was used as a standard herbal formulation for comparison. The co-administration of the polyherbal formulation resulted in substantial (P < 0.001) decrease in urinary and serum levels of renal stone promoters such as calcium, oxalate, phosphate, uric acid, and urea, as well as a significant increase in magnesium and citrate. Histological analysis demonstrated reduced renal cell damage in the treatment group. These results indicate that the polyherbal formulation possesses anti-urolithic activity and holds promise for the treatment of renal calculi.
Keywords:
Urolithiasis, Celosia argentea, Cissampelos Pareira, Bergenia ligulata, herbal tabletDOI
https://doi.org/10.25004/IJPSDR.2025.170407References
Scales CD, Smith AC, Hanley JM, Saigal CS. Prevalence of kidney stones in the United States. Eur Urol. 2012;62(1):160–165. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eururo.2012.03.052
Sohgaura A, Bigoniya A. A review on epidemiology and etiology of renal stone. Am J Drug Discov Dev. 2017;7(2):54–62. Available from: https://doi.org/10.3923/ajdd.2017.54.62
Smyslova OA, Markaryan AA, Evdokimova OV, Glazkova IU, Yaroshenko MA. Characteristics of the new comprehensive herbal medicine for the treatment and prevention of urolithiasis. Biol Med. 2015;7(4):1–5. Available from: https://doi.org/10.4172/0974-8369.1000257
Deo L, Sangtani R, Kumar R, Gupta AK, Pawar S. Multiple Renal Calculi – Case Report. Res J Pharm Technol. 2023;16(3):1127–1133. Available from: 10.52711/0974-360X.2023.00188
Nabi G, Downey P, Keeley F, Watson G, McClinton S. Extra-corporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) versus ureteroscopic management for ureteric calculi. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2007;2007(1):CD006029. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD006029.pub2
Singh A, Chitra V. A Probe on the activity of Herbal Medicines in Nephrolithiasis. Res J Pharm Technol. 2019;12(9):4539–4544. Available from: 10.5958/0974-360X.2019.00781.9
Parasuraman S, Thing GS, Dhanaraj SA. Polyherbal formulation: Concept of Ayurveda. Pharmacogn Rev. 2014;8(16):73–80. Available from: https://doi.org/10.4103/0973-7847.134229
Ghorpade P, Siddiqui A, Patil MJ, Rub RA. Pharmacognostic and phytochemical evaluation of Celosia argentea. Pharmacogn J. 2012;4(33):1–7. Available from: https://doi.org/10.5530/pj.2012.33.2
Kachchhi NR, Parmar RK, Tirgar PR, Desai TR, Bhalodia PN. Evaluation of the antiurolithiatic activity of methanolic extract of Celosia argentea roots in rats. Int J Phytopharmacol. 2012;3(3):249–255.
Ghule S, Prakash T, Kotresha D, Karki R, Surendra V, Goli D. Anti-diabetic activity of Celosia argentea root in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. J Pharm Res. 2010;4(3):206–211.
Dhole AR, Yeligar VC. In-vitro protective and curative effect of Cissampelos pareira Linn, Fragaria vesca Linn, and Biophytum sensitivum Linn extracts on urolithiasis. Res J Pharm Technol. 2020;13(4):1841–1846. Available from: https://doi.org/10.5958/0974-360X.2020.00325.4
Aggarwal D, Kaushal R, Kaur T, Bijarnia RK, Puri S, Singla SK. The most potent antilithiatic agent ameliorating renal dysfunction and oxidative stress from Bergenia ligulata rhizome. J Ethnopharmacol. 2014;158(Pt A):85–93. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2014.09.040
Mahapatra SK, Verma S. Formulation and Evaluation of Polyherbal Tablet for Better Therapeutic Efficacy. Res J Pharm Technol. 2023;16(2):835–838. Available from: 10.52711/0974-360X.2023.00142
Kachchhi NR, Parmar RK, Tirgar PR, Desai TR, Bhalodia PN. Evaluation of the antiurolithiatic activity of methanolic extract of Celosia argentea roots in rats. International Journal of Phytopharmacology. 2012;3(3):249-55.
Fuloria N, Goswami R, Ambwani S, Tandon R, Ambwani TK. Exploring in vitro efficacy of roots of Bergenia ligulata for urolithiasis management. International Journal of Minor Fruits, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants. 2023 Dec 28;9(2):189-96.
Sayana SB, Khanwelkar CC, Nimmagadda VR, Chavan VR, Antilithiatic effect of cissampelos pareira leaves in ammonium chloride and ethylene glycol induced urolithisis in rats, Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research 2014, 7, 103-106
Khan SR, Finlayson B, Hackett RL. Experimental calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis in rats: Role of the renal papilla. Am J Pathol. 1982;107(1):59–69. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0002-9440(19)32287-9
Rajagopal G. A simple colorimetric procedure for estimation of citric acid in urine. Indian J Exp Biol. 1984;22(5):391–392.
Hodgkinson A. Determination of oxalic acid in biological material. Clin Chem. 1970;16(7):547–557.
Vermeulen CW. Experiments on causation of urinary calculi. In: Essays in Experimental Biology. Chicago: University of Chicago Press; 1962. p. 253–269.
Orhan N, Onaran M, Şen İ, Gönül İI, Aslan M. Preventive treatment of calcium oxalate crystal deposition with immortal flowers. J Ethnopharmacol. 2015;163:60–67. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2014.12.026
Selvam R, Kalaiselvi P, Govindaraj A, Murugan VB, Kumar AS. Effect of A. lanata leaf extract and Vediuppu chunnam on the urinary risk factors of calcium oxalate urolithiasis during experimental hyperoxaluria. Pharmacol Res. 2001;43(1):89–93. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1006/phrs.2000.0743
Soundararajan P, Mahesh R, Ramesh T, Begum VH. Effect of Aerva lanata on calcium oxalate urolithiasis in rats. Indian J Exp Biol. 2006 Dec;44(12):981-6. PMID: 17176671.
Parmar NS, Shiv P. Screening methodology in pharmacology. New Delhi: Narosa Publishing House; 2006.
Parasuraman S, Thing GS, Dhanaraj SA. Polyherbal formulation: Concept of ayurveda. Pharmacogn Rev. 2014 Jul;8(16):73-80. Available from: 10.4103/0973-7847.134229.
Dinnimath BM, Jalalpure SS. In silico antiurolithiatic screening of Aerva lanata (L) isolated constituents. Indian J Pharm Educ Res. 2015;49(1):1–8.
Sanjib B, Pallab KH. Acute and sub-chronic toxicity study of Trichosanthes dioica root in mice. Am Eurasian J Toxicol Sci. 2013;5:30–35.
Veličković DT, Nikolova MT, Ivancheva SV, Stojanović JB, Veljković VB. Extraction of flavonoids from garden (Salvia officinalis L.) and glutinous (Salvia glutinosa L.) sage by ultrasonic and classical maceration. J Serbian Chem Soc. 2007;72(1):73–80. Available from: https://doi.org/10.2298/JSC0701073V
Suvarna Y, Rahaman SKA. In Vitro – In Vivo Evaluation of Antiurolithiatic activity of piperine from Piper nigrum. Res J Pharm Technol. 2020;13(1):63–68. Available from: doi: 10.5958/0974-360X.2020.00011.6
Gadge NB, Jalalpure SS. Curative treatment with extracts of Bombax ceiba fruit reduces risk of calcium oxalate urolithiasis in rats. Pharm Biol. 2012;50(3):310–317. Available from: https://doi.org/10.3109/13880209.2011.606314
Touhami M, Laroubi A, Elhabazi K, Loubna F, Zrara I, Eljahiri Y, et al. Lemon juice has protective activity in a rat urolithiasis model. BMC Urol. 2007;7:1–10. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2490-7-3
Siener R, Jahnen A, Hesse A. Influence of a mineral water rich in calcium, magnesium and bicarbonate on urine composition and the risk of calcium oxalate crystallization. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2004;58(2):270–276. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601832
Soundarajan P, Mahesh R, Ramesh T, Begum VH. Effect of Aerva lanata on calcium oxalate urolithiasis in rats. Indian J Exp Biol. 2006;44:981–986.
Jagtap PN, Vyapari BR, Nimbalkar YH, Kale SV, Nigade GB. Evaluation of Antiurolithiatic activity of Polyherbal formulation (Lithout Tablets) by In-vitro inhibition of Calcium Oxalate Crystallization. Res J Pharm Technol. 2019;12(11):5477–5478. Available from: 10.5958/0974-360X.2019.00950.8
Jawalekar SL, Surve VT, Bhutey A. Effect of dietary habit & fluid intake in patients with urolithiasis. Ann Biol Res. 2013;4:246–251.
Kumar R, Kapoor R, Mittal B, Kumar A, Mittal RD. Evaluation of urinary abnormalities in urolithiasis patients: A study from North India. Indian J Clin Biochem. 2003;18:209–215. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02913550
Thangarathinam N, Jayshree N, Mehta AV, Ramanathan L. Effect of polyherbal formulation on ethylene glycol induced urolithiasis. Int J Pharm Pharm Sci. 2013;5(3):994–997.
Prabhat KD, Jai SV. Evaluation of Anti-Urolithiatic Activity of Bougainvillea Spectabilis Wild. Against Sodium Oxalate-Induced Nephrolithiasis in Rats. Int J Pharm Sci Drug Res. 2023;15(1):57–64. Available from: https://doi.org/10.25004/IJPSDR.2023.150109
Bhatt MK, Shah N. Anti-urolithiatic potential of methanolic extract of hygrophila salicifolia on ethylene glycol induced urolithiasis in rats. Int J Pharm Sci Drug Res. 2016;8(6):287–290. Available from: https://doi.org/10.25004/IJPSDR.2016.080602
Subhashini NJP, Nagula S. Antiurolithiatic Activity of Natural Constituents Isolated from Aerva lanata Flowers. Int J Pharm Sci Drug Res. 2020;12(6):668–673. Available from: https://doi.org/10.25004/IJPSDR.2020.120610
Published
Abstract Display: 287
PDF Downloads: 262 How to Cite
Issue
Section
Copyright (c) 2025 Sneha Oza, Vaibhavi Savalia

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

