The Effect of Tribulus Terrestris Fruits and Urtica dioica Leaves Extracts on Renal Calculus Induced by Sodium Oxalate in Experimental Rats

Abstract

A common urological disorder is kidney stone formation. Previous research has shown that long-term exposure to oxalate damages renal epithelial cells and stress caused by oxidation. The current investigation evaluated the effect of aqueous extracts of Tribulus Terrestris fruits, and Urtica dioica leaves against renal calculus induced by sodium oxalate in male albino rats. The injection with sodium oxalate (70 mg/kg) intraperitoneally for ten days to cause renal calculi increased serum creatinine, urea, uric acid, and serum electrolytes, urinary electrolytes, urinary components, serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha, as well as malondialdehyde in kidney tissue. A decrease in creatinine clearance and antioxidant enzyme activity (superoxide dismutase and catalase) was observed. Treated groups with Tribulus Terrestris and Urtica dioica aqueous extracts (250 and 500 mg / Kg body weight), respectively, for 28 days improved body weight gain (BWG), Feed intake (FI), feed efficiency ratio (FER), relative kidney weight, kidney functions, serum electrolytes, urinary electrolytes, urinary components, serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha, antioxidant enzymes activity. Histopathological examination confirmed the biochemical analysis. It was concluded that Tribulus Terrestris and Urtica dioica aqueous extracts affect kidney stone modeling caused by sodium oxalate by reducing tissue degeneration and the number of stones because they possess antioxidants.