You have accessJournal of UrologyStone Disease: Basic Research1 Apr 20112059 AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF COSTUS SPIRALIS ROSCOE INHIBITS CALCIUM OXALATE CRYSTAL GROWTH AND ADHESION TO RENAL EPITHELIAL CELLS Mitra R. de Cógáin, Michael P. Linnes, Sung-Hoon Kim, and John C. Lieske Mitra R. de CógáinMitra R. de Cógáin Rochester, MN More articles by this author , Michael P. LinnesMichael P. Linnes Rochester, MN More articles by this author , Sung-Hoon KimSung-Hoon Kim Seoul, Korea, Republic of More articles by this author , and John C. LieskeJohn C. Lieske Rochester, MN More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.juro.2011.02.2290AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES Costus spiralis Roscoe (C. spiralis) is a plant used in Brazilian folk medicine to treat urolithiasis; however, its' mechanism(s) of action has yet to be elucidated. The interaction between calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystals and the renal epithelium appears important in calculogenesis, and compounds that modulate this process or other aspects of crystal formation represent candidate therapeutic agents for stone prevention. Therefore, we assessed the inhibitory activity of C. spiralis on CaOx crystallization and the interaction of CaOx crystals with the renal epithelium. METHODS A seeded CaOx monohydrate (COM) crystallization system was used to study the effect of C. spiralis on crystal growth. Madin Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells were used to study [14C] COM crystal adhesion in the presence and absence of an aqueous extract of C. spiralis. Cytotoxicity was assessed using a tetrazolium (MTS) cell proliferation assay. RESULTS Aqueous C. spiralis extract decreased crystal growth in a concentration-dependent manner. The extract decreased crystal adhesion to MDCK cells in a concentration-dependent fashion (Fig. 1). Precoating crystals was effective, while pretreating cells had no effect. The extract was not cytotoxic in concentrations up to 1000 μg/ml. No crystal growth or adhesion activity was found in hexane, methyl chloride, n-butanol, ethyl acetate or water fractions of an ethanol extract of the herb, suggesting that activity may reside in a polar compound. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that C. spiralis contains a compound(s) that may delay calculogenesis by interacting with CaOx crystal surfaces. As activity was present in an aqueous extract, this agent may be bioavailable when administered orally. Preliminary fractionization trials suggest that the active agent might be a polar compound such as a polysaccharide and further identification and characterization appears warranted. © 2011 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 185Issue 4SApril 2011Page: e824 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2011 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Mitra R. de Cógáin Rochester, MN More articles by this author Michael P. Linnes Rochester, MN More articles by this author Sung-Hoon Kim Seoul, Korea, Republic of More articles by this author John C. Lieske Rochester, MN More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...