Association between aortic calcification and the presence of kidney stones: calcium oxalate calculi in focus

Purpose The current research is aimed at analyzing the relationship between kidney stone (KS) and abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) and the relationship between KS components and AAC. Methods This is a retrospective, case–control study. Kidney stone formers (KSFs) were treated at the Department of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University for urological calculus disease from January 2014 to January 2020. Matched non-stone formers (non-SFs) were drawn from the same hospital for routine health examination from January 2018 to February 2019. Research-related information was collected and reviewed retrospectively from the hospital’s computerized records. AAC were evaluated using available results of computed tomography imaging and abdominal vascular ultrasound. The relationships of AAC between KSFs and non-SFs were compared. The composition of renal calculi was analyzed by Fourier-transform infrared spectrophotometer. KSFs were divided into AAC groups and non-AAC based on AAC. The relationship of the composition of renal calculi between AAC and non-AAC were compared. The independent-sample t test, the chi-squared test and binary logistics regression were performed. Results Altogether, 4516 people were included, with 1027 KSFs and 3489 non-SFs. There were no significant differences in the laboratory parameters between KSFs and non-SFs. The association between the presence of AAC and KS was significant in multivariable model 2 [adjusting hypertension, diabetes mellitus, fasting blood glucose, uric acid, serum triglyceride (TG), serum calcium, and urine pH] (OR 5.756, 95% CI 4.616–7.177, p < 0.001). The result of KSFs showed that calcium oxalate calculi (CaOx) was significantly associated with AAC in multivariable model 3 (adjusting age, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, drinking history, smoking history, and TG) (OR 1.351, 95% CI 1.002–1.822, p = 0.048). Conclusions The current study pioneered the revelation of the relationship between CaOx and AAC. Through an elimination of the confounding factors, the study demonstrated that KS and AAC were connected.

Impact of Vitamins and Minerals Enriched Flora in the Management of Calciphytoliths: A Special Focus on Vitamin E

Calciphytoliths (calcium oxalate calculi) have a great influence on human health and are a disease with a high likelihood of recurrence at a rate of more than 10% within a year. Plant flavonoids, saponins, and tannins are reported to be Litholytic by inhibiting calcium oxalate crystals or by their calcium channel blocking activity. Vitamins and minerals containing flora completely prevent deposition of oxalate by preventing pre-oxidation injury and restoring renal tissue antioxidants. So vitamin therapy also might protect against oxalate calculi deposition in the human kidneys. The present chapter discusses the impact of vitamins especially vitamin E, calcium, and low oxalate-containing plants for the management of various urinary or kidney disorders.

Comparative spectroscopic analysis of nordihydroguaiaretic acid and related natural products to inhibition of calcium oxalate calculi

The prevalence of urolithiasis is still increasing worldwide. The goal of this study is to achieve a better understanding, from a comparative spectroscopic perspective, of the differences provided by chemical and natural products to the inhibitory processes of calculi formation. The research presented here places primary emphasis on the assessment of nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA), the main chemical extract of the plant Larrea Tridentata, as a preventative to calcium oxalate crystal formation. It is also a logical continuation of our previous efforts using a traditional medicine approach to study such prevention. Complementary Raman and Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) absorption analysis were used to provide a complete overview of morphological changes of calcium oxalate crystals, which were grown without and with the addition of NDGA at different concentrations. A gel diffusion technique was employed for sample preparation. Our results from both Raman and FTIR spectroscopies demonstrate that no structural transformation from a monohydrate to dehydrate occurs upon crystallization with NDGA, as we previously reported for the use of the natural plant infusion. Calculi synthesized with NDGA shows a distorted monohydrate morphology. Different effects inhibitory to calcium oxalate calculi formation are observed and analyzed here using chemical and natural extracts. If magnesium is the key to this difference, this study confirms its importance, not only in hundreds of metabolic pathways, but also in nephrological ones.

Antilithiatic potential of Vernonia cinerea against calcium oxalate calculi in experimental rats

Objectives: The present manuscript was focused on evaluating the antilithiatic potential of Vernonia cinerea extract (VCE) against calcium oxalate calculi using experimental model. Methods: The drinking water containing ethylene glycol (0.75% v/v) and ammonium chloride (1% w/v) was used to induce hyperoxaluria in Wistar rats. Thirty-six rats, divided into following six groups (each containing six animals), were treated with vehicle (normal control), ethylene glycol and ammonium chloride (urolithic), Neeri (standard), 100, 300 and 500 mg/kg, VCE (tests). The experimental protocol involved the estimation of different biochemical parameters in urine, serum, kidney homogenates, and histopathological examinations of the kidney. Results: The urolithic rats showed the presence of oxalate crystals in renal tubules and significant changes in biochemical parameters like decreased creatinine clearance, increased urinary levels of oxalates, urea, calcium, phosphorus, uric acid, proteins, decreased urinary magnesium levels; increased serum levels of urea nitrogen, uric acid, calcium, phosphorus, lactate dehydrogenase; increased calcium, phosphorus, and oxalate contents in kidney homogenates. It altered the renal architecture and impaired the functions. The extract significantly (p< 0.05) reversed the biochemical changes in urine, serum and kidney homogenates in a dose-dependent manner. It improved the renal functions as indicated by improved creatinine clearance, reduced lactate dehydrogenase activity and restoration of renal architecture towards normal. Conclusions: Vernonia cinerea showed significant antilithiatic potential against oxalate calculi in glycolated rats.