DETERMINATION OF IN-VITRO ANTI-UROLITHIATIC ACTIVITY OF SPIRULINA PLATENSIS AND TRACHYSPERMUM AMMI

Shilpika Nagula* and Pasupula Sri Varsha, Sushma Kukka Prathyusha Kotigari, Arun Sai Kowdagani and Naveen Kongiri

ABSTRACT

Background: Kidney stones are also known as renal calculi which are formed in the kidneys due to crystal aggregation which are formed from the dietary minerals which are present in the urine. Renal calculus or crystal aggregation is a complex process which involves super-saturation, nucleation, growth, aggregation and retention of crystals within the kidney. Various in-vitro and in-vivo studies reveled that some of the phytochemical elements which are present in various plant species are useful in the management of urolithiasis or kidney stones or renal calculi. In the present study Spirulina platensis and Trachyspermum ammi were selected for screening their in-vitro anti-urolithiatic activity. Objectives: To isolate the active constituents from spirulina platensis and fruits of trachyspermum ammi through various extraction procedures, and to perform the anti-urolithiatic activity studies by titrimetric method of analysis, aggregation and nucleation and compare the percentage of inhibition and percent dissolution between the two herbal drug extracts. Results and Discussion: Both the Spirulina and Ajowan (trachyspermum ammi) extracts has shown significant level of percentage of inhibition in both the nucleation and aggregation assay, it has been observed that as the concentration (100, 200, 300, 400, 500μg/ml) of both the herbal drugs extract was increased there was significant level of decrease in the growth of the CaOx crystals spirulina showed more inhibition of the crystal growth than ajowan when compared to the standard drug cystone. In titrimetric method the percent dissolution of the spirulina was more than ajowan, and spirulina showed almost equal percent dissolution to standard drug cystone. Conclusion: From the above study Spirulina platensis and Trachyspermum ammi (Ajowan) has shown anti-urolithiatic activity by inhibiting the crystal growth, Spirulina platensis has shown more inhibition of crystal growth compared to Trachyspermum ammi.

Keywords: Anti-urolithiatic Activity, Nucleation, Aggregation, Percentage Inhibition.