Antilithiatic effect of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of cactus prickly pear in chemically induced urolithiasis in rats

Abstract

This study investigated the antiurolithiasic effects of the aqueous and ethanolic extracts of cactus prickly pear fruit in male Wistar rats. The effect of oral administration of cactus fruit extracts were studied on calcium oxalate urolithiasis. Forty-two rats were used for the study. The animals were divided into seven groups of six animals each. Control group maintained on regular rat food and drinking water throughout the study period, whereas in other groups nephrolithiasis was induced by ethylene glycol and ammonium chloride. Rats in kidney stone group were sacrificed after 28 days and all remaining groups after 58 days. Treatment groups were treated with 1 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Cactus fruit for 30 days. Urinary calcium level was decreased significantly by ethanolic extracts of cactus fruit and urinary creatinine, magnesium and citrate levels were increased significantly by aqueous and ethanolic extracts of cactus fruit dose dependently. Serum phosphorus level was decreased significantly in treatment groups dose dependently and serum creatinine, urea and uric acid levels were found to be similar as in control group.

Keywords:

• Cactus prickly pear
• urolithiasis
• antilithiatic
• calcium oxalate
• rat

Acknowledgements

The authors are thankful to the head and director of Kerman Neuroscience Research Center and Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman Faculty Research Funds for their support of this investigation.

Declaration of interest

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.