Assessment of Anti-Urolithiatic Activity of Bryophyllum Pinnatum Leaves – an in-Vitro Design

Abstract

Urolithiasis in general terminology is known as kidney stone or renal calculi. Urolithiasis is a disease caused by the interaction of epidemiological, biochemical and genetic risk factor. Urolithiasis is caused by many different factors that are related to the development of stone in the urinary tract such as heredity, diet, metabolic abnormality, infection, and slightly by age, gender and climate. Bryophyllum pinnatum (family: Crassulaceae) was widely used in traditional medicine. They are found in especially in tropical Africa, India, China, Tropical America. The main objective of the present study is to assess the in vitro anti-urolithiatic activity of ethanolic extract of Bryophyllum pinnatum leaves. For the in vitro study, experimentally calcium phosphate and calcium oxalate stones were prepared and compared with standard drug. Cystone is used as standard drug. The Pharmacological screening was done by Nuleation assay method. Bryophyllum pinnatum tonic is rich in phytochemicals such as alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides, tannins, terpenoids and resins, and has a substantial capacity to dissolve calcium phosphate and calcium oxalate. This study suggests the anti-crystallization activity of Bryophyllum pinnatum against CaOx crystallization. One possible method of anti-crystallization activity of Bryophyllum pinnatum could be its ability to complex with free calcium and oxalate ions, thus preventing the formation of CaOx complexes. Further in vivo and clinical explorations are required to confirm the efficacy of Bryophyllum pinnatum as an anti-urolithiatic.