Herniaria Hirsuta Research Articles

Medicinal plants for gallstones: A cross-sectional survey of Moroccan patients

BackgroundGallstone is an expensive and very common gastrointestinal disorder affecting 10–20 % of the adult population. The traditional use of medicinal plants in Morocco is an ancestral and common practice to solve health problems, including gallstone disease. Our study aimed to identify the medicinal plants used by patients suffering from gallstones. MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted on the use of medicinal plants for the treatment of gallstones in the visceral surgery department, University Hospital Center Ibn Rochd of Casablanca, Morocco. Face to face interviews were carried out with 128 hospitalized patients using a closed-ended questionnaire. ResultsPatients with gallstones underlined the use of 35 species belonging to 21 botanical families. The most frequently used plant was Citrus limon, followed by Petroselinum sativum, Herniaria hirsuta and Olea Europea, belonging respectively to Rutaceae, Apiaceae, Caryophyllaceae and Oleaceae. The respondents used different parts of plants; seeds, aerial parts, fruits and leaves. The most commonly preparations were decoction, infusion and powder form. More than two-thirds of the patients were overweight or obese, regularly consume soft drinks and drink little water a day. ConclusionThe pharmacological effect of the inventoried plants and their active ingredients are consistent with their use in the traditional Moroccan pharmacopoeia to treat and to prevent gallstones. These plant species could be a potential avenue for the discovery of an alternative treatment; however, further chemical and pharmacological investigations are needed.

Preliminary evaluation of in vitro anti-urolithiasic effect of six Algerian plant products

The present paper reports on the preliminary evaluation of in vitro anti-urolithiasic effect (AULE) of six Algerian plant products: lemon (Citrus limon L.), orange (Citrus sinensis L.), grapefruit (Citrus grandis L.), lemon/grapefruit (1/1 ratio, v/v) and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) juices, [and aqueous extract from hairy rupturewort (Herniaria hirsuta L.), the bi-distilled water being taken as reference. The AULE was evaluated, based on the ability of considered plant liquids to prevent the crystallization of calcium oxalate (CaOx) from the mixture of stock solutions of calcium chloride and sodium oxalate. For this, the juices and the aqueous extract to be analyzed were used as solvents to prepare the two stock solutions. The formation of CaOx was assessed by means of microscopic observation and presented in the form of images. A better AULE was observed for citrus juices, compared with bi-distilled water, tomato juice and hairy rupturewort extract. In the case of lemon juice, it was also found that the AULE is more effective when the juice acidity is adjusted to high pH values (6-7). Based on these results, citrus juices may be recommended for the prevention of urinary lithiogenesis. However, in-depth confirmatory studies are always desired, knowing that opinions are not unanimous on this issue.

Ethnobotanical Study of Plants Used for the Treatment of Urolithiasis in Morocco

Urolithiasis (UL) is a frequent pathology which affects between 5 and 20% of the population according to the countries and areas. The aim of this study was to determine the medicinal plants used traditionally by patients with UL in the Kenitra and Sidi Kacem cities (Morocco). From January 2012 to February 2015, 50 herbalists and 166 patients with urolithiasis who live in the area under study were interviewed by using structured questionnaire. The following data were recorded: name of the patients or herbalists with their age, sex name of the plant (s) (vernacular name), parts used mode of preparation and administration. A total of 42 plant species belonging to 24 families, mostly from the Apiaceae (16.66%) Lamiaceae (11.9%) were used to treat the UL in the area. All the plants were prepared by decoction which are taken orally for a period of one week. Herniaria hirsuta (Hh) and Ziziphus lotus (Zl) were repeatedly mentioned by the patients and herbalists as most used for the management of UL in this area. It’s concluded that the traditional remedies are the first line to treat the UL in this area. Hh and Zl were the most commonly used plants in this treatment which a study of antiurolithiatic characteristics seem to be necessary to evaluate its use in therapy.

Effects of medicagenic acid metabolites, originating from biotransformation of an Herniaria hirsuta extract, on calcium oxalate crystallization in vitro

Ethnopharmacological relevanceHerniaria hirsuta is traditionally used in Moroccan folk medicine for treatment of urinary stones and as a diuretic. It is rich in saponins, which are known to be deglycosylated in the colon, whereafter aglycones such as medicagenic acid are absorbed and further metabolized in the liver. Aim of the studyA sample of hepatic metabolites of medicagenic acid, with medicagenic acid glucuronide as the most abundant one, was evaluated for in vitro activity against urinary stones. A crystallization assay and a crystal-cell interaction assay were used to evaluate in vitro activity of hepatic metabolites of medicagenic acid on CaC2O4 (calciumoxalate) crystals, present in the majority of urinary stones. Materials and methodsIn the crystallization assay the effects on nucleation of Ca2+ and C2O42− and aggregation of the CaC2O4 crystals are studied. In the crystal-cell interaction assay crystal retention is investigated by determining the amount of Ca2+ bound to injured monolayers of MDCK I cells. ResultsResults of the crystallization assay showed a tentative effect on crystal aggregation. The crystal-cell interaction assay showed a significant inhibition of crystal binding, which may reduce crystal retention in the urinary tract. ConclusionsAs both formation of crystals by inhibiting aggregation and retention of crystals is affected, the beneficial effect of H. hirsuta against urinary stones may at least in part be attributed to medicagenic acid metabolites, indicating that saponins containing medicagenic acid may act as prodrugs.

A New Approach for the Green Biosynthesis of Silver Oxide Nanoparticles Ag2O, Characterization and Catalytic Application

In this paper, a facile and green approach for the synthesis of silver oxide nanoparticles Ag2O NPs was performed using the extract of the wild plant Herniaria hirsuta (H. hirsuta). Different spectral methods were used for the characterization of the biosynthesized Ag2O NPs, ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy gave a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak of Ag2O NPs is 430 nm, estimation of direct and indirect forbidden gap bands are respectively 3.76 eV and 3.68 eV; Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectral analysis revealed the groups responsible for the stability and synthesis of Ag2O NPs. The morphology of Ag2O NPs was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showing a nearly spherical shape of Ag2O NPs, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) study confirmed the crystallinity of Ag2O NPs with a crystallinity size of 15.51 nm. The catalytic activity of Ag2O NPs, as well as the rings number were studied by the degradation of methylene blue dye. Copyright © 2021 by Authors, Published by BCREC Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).

Inventory of Medicinal Plants Used Traditionally to Manage Kidney Diseases in North-Eastern Morocco: Ethnobotanical Fieldwork and Pharmacological Evidence.

Kidney disease is one of the most common health problems and kidney failure can be fatal. It is one of the health disorders associated with extreme pain and discomfort in patients. In developing countries, such as Morocco where socioeconomic and sanitary conditions are precarious, medicinal plants are considered the primary source of medication. In the present work an ethnobotanical survey was conducted in a remote area of North-Eastern Morocco and we focused on (1) establishing a record of medicinal plants used traditionally by local people to treat kidney diseases and (2) correlate the obtained ethnomedical use with well-studied pharmacological evidence. From February 2018 to January2020, information was gathered from 488 informants using semi-structured questionnaires. The data were analyzed using three quantitative indices: The use value (UV), family use value (FUV), and informant consensus factor (ICF). A total of 121 plant species belonging to 57 botanical families were identified to treat kidney diseases. The families most represented were Asteraceae (14 species), followed by Lamiaceae (12 species) and Apiaceae (10 species). The most commonly used plant parts were leaves, followed by the whole plant and they were most commonly prepared by decoction and infusion. The highest value of the (UV) index was attributed to Herniaria hirsuta L. (UV = 0.16), and the highest family use value (FUV) was assigned to Caryophyllaceae with (FUV = 0.163). Regarding the informant consensus factor (ICF), this index’s highest values were recorded for kidney stones (ICF = 0.72). The use of 45% of the selected plants were validated based on literature review. This study helped document and preserve crucial traditional plant knowledge of 121 plant species used to treat kidney problems that can be used in the search for new biologically active compounds through more upcoming pharmacological studies.

Attitude and awareness of medicinal plants in treatment of kidney lithiasis in eastern Morocco: a retrospective study

Summary Introduction: Kidney stone is a major public health problem. Over 5% of the population is affected by kidney stones, with causes a lifetime risk of transmitting renal lithiasis of about 8 to 10%. Objective: The goal of our study is the attitude and awareness of lithiasis patients regarding the use of medicinal plants in eastern Morocco. Methods: We carried out a study on lithiasis patients to retrospectively identify medicinal plants used in this disease, using a pre-established questionnaire. The study was carried out from 10 December 2017 to 28 February 2018. Results: Our survey describes several medicinal plants used to treat renal lithiasis in eastern Morocco. Most patients used Herniaria hirsuta L., Zea mays L., Urtica dioica L., and Petroselinum crispum (Mill.) Fuss. This preliminary study showed that the first reason to use medicinal plants in half of lithiasis patients is to calm the pain and expel the stones. The primary source of plant use information is oral tradition. However 67% of lithiasis patients are unaware of the harmful and toxic effects that can appear. Conclusion: Medicinal plants must, like medicines, comply with strict requirements and standard rules of use to which only the specialist in herbal medicine can respond and sensitize people to the dangers of irrational consumption of medicinal plants.

Unraveling the ethnopharmacological potential of medicinal plants used in Algerian traditional medicine for urinary diseases

IntroductionTraditional medicine is gaining increasing importance worldwide for the management of various health conditions, including urinary diseases. Little is known about this traditional knowledge among Algerian populations, even though the country is very rich in terms of plant biodiversity and ethnicities. This study explored the beliefs, attitudes, and knowledge used in Algerian traditional ethnopharmacological practices for the treatment of urinary diseases. MethodField studies were conducted between June 2017 to July 2020 using face-to-face semi structured interviews with 385 herbalists and traditional practitioners in 13 locations in Algeria. ResultsThe results revealed that 134 medicinal plants belonging to 121 genera and 53 families were used as traditional therapy for urinary diseases in Algeria. The most represented botanical families were Lamiaceae, Apiaceae, Asteraceae and Poaceae.The most cited plant species were Parietaria officinalis, Cucurbita maxima, Hordeum vulgare, Citrus limon, Olea europaea, Herniaria hirsuta, Allium cepa, and Urtica dioica. Nevertheless, on the basis of use reports and use value indices, Citrus limon, Parietaria officinalis, Hordeum vulgare, Allium cepa, Olea europaea, Cucurbita maxima, Herniaria hirsuta, Urtica dioica, and Petroselinum crispum were the most reported plant species.These species are used alone or in mixtures of two or more ingredients from different origins such as honey, olive oil, and goat milk. Our findings revealed several new therapeutic uses and new medicinal plants that are reported for the first time in the treatment of urinary diseases in Algeria. ConclusionThis is the first ethnopharmacological study documenting the Algerian traditional uses of herbal remedies for treating urinary diseases. Our findings are relevant for the discovery of novel therapeutical drugs.

In vitro mass reduction of calcium oxalate urinary calculi by some medicinal plants

BackgroundCalcium oxalate is the most frequent urinary stone component; it exists in three different crystalline forms. In this case, the most common is the calcium oxalate monohydrate (whewellite). However, Morocco is one of the countries that has used the traditional medicine based on natural plants to treat many diseases including urolithiasis. In this respect, the most medicinal plants used for this purpose are Herniaria hirsuta L., Opuntia ficus-indica flowers, Zea mays styles and Ammi visnaga L. seeds. The purpose of this work is to study experimentally the effectiveness of each plant on the dissolution of whewellite stones.MethodsIn 1 L boiled saline solution (9 g/L of NaCl), 5 g of plant extract powder has been introduced. Thereafter, the mixture was left soaked for 15 min and then filtered. Further, a specific installation that resembles the urinary circuit has been conducted in the laboratory. As a starting step, three whewellite stones are placed in contact with extract solutions for 8 weeks. Two other solutions have been used to correct the loss mass: the first one is a solution of potassium citrate of 3 mmol/L served as a positive control, and the second one is a solution of NaCl of 9 g/L without extract used as a reference point.ResultsAfter 8 weeks, the loss mass is about 54.88 ± 1.32% with Z. mays styles, 49.86 ± 1.69% with H. hirsuta L., 47.10 ± 1019% with A. visnaga L. and 44.97 ± 1.76% with flowers O. ficus-indica, while the loss of mass in the presence of witnesses solutions is 21.95 ± 0.76% for potassium citrate (C Pot) and 21.05 ± 1.07% in the case of saline solutions.ConclusionOur experiments show the effectiveness of the extracts of four plants specially for Z. mays styles. These extracts can be effective remedies in the oxalocalcic stones’ dissolution.

A comparative study on the in vitro biotransformation of medicagenic acid using human liver microsomes and S9 fractions

Many natural products are prodrugs which are biotransformed and activated after oral administration. The investigation of gastrointestinal and hepatic biotransformation can be facilitated by in vitro screening methods. This study compares two widely used in vitro models for hepatic biotransformation: 1) human S9 fractions and 2) human liver microsomes and cytosolic fractions in a two-step sequence, with the purpose of identifying differences in the biotransformation of medicagenic acid, the putative precursor of active metabolites, responsible for the medicinal effects of the herb Herniaria hirsuta. The combination of liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry with subsequent suspect and non-target data analysis allowed the identification of thirteen biotransformation products, four of which are reported here for the first time. Eight biotransformation products resulting from oxidative Phase I reactions were identified. Phase II conjugation reactions resulted in the formation of three glucuronidated and two sulfated biotransformation products.No major differences could be observed between incubations with human liver S9 or when utilizing human microsomal and cytosolic fractions. Apart from two metabolites, both methods rendered the same qualitative metabolic profile, with minor quantitative differences. As a result, both protocols applied in this study can be used to study in vitro human liver biotransformation reactions.

Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used in the treatment of kidney stones in Region of Fez-Meknes, Morocco

Background: This survey was carried out in the prefecture of Fez-Morocco in order to establish an inventory of medicinal plants used in the treatment of urolithiasis pathology and to collect as much information as possible about the therapeutic uses and recipes reported by the local population.Methods: An ethnobotanical survey undertaken between January 2015 to December 2017 in the region of Fez-Meknes (Morocco) which includes the urban community of Fes-Medina, Hassan II University Hospital Center, and Sidi Hrazem which include the thermal Spring. A total of 380 individual who knew about and/or had used the medicinal plants for the indicated disease, including some herbal healers. The inventory of medicinal plants is summarized in a synoptic table, which contains the scientific, vernacular and common name of the plant, the part of the plant used, and the preparation mode is presented. The data were analysed through relative frequency of citations (RFC).Results: After the analysis of the data collected, 54 plant species belonging to 28 families, including that of the Apiaceae (19 %), the most represented with 9 species. Similarly, the results obtained show that the majority of the medicinal plants used in the treatment of lithiasis are prepared as decoction from aerial parts. Among the most cited plants we find Herniaria hirsuta L., Zea mays L., Opuntia ficus indica L., Zizyphus lotus L, Ammi visnaga L. and Petroselinum sativum Hoffm.Conclusion: This study showed the importance of herbal remedies for the treatment of kidney stones. The understanding use of these medicinal plants for the treatment of renal lithiasis can contribute to the identification of natural active molecules which can be useful in pharmacology.Keywords: Kidney stones, Ethnobotanical survey, Medicinal plants, Therapeutic uses, Fez-Meknes (Morocco).

Water sorption isotherms and drying characteristics of rupturewort (Herniaria hirsuta) during a convective solar drying for a better conservation

Free water contained in porous structure of food plays a fundamental role in proliferation of microorganisms and bacteria that can damage the product materials. This work presents a thermo-kinetic study carried out in a natural and forced convection solar dryer; the objective was to establish the optimal conditions for drying and storing Herniaria hirsuta by testing the impact of different aerothermal conditions (air temperature, air velocity) on water loss of fresh Herniaria hirsuta. The kinetics of drying is studied for three temperatures (50, 60 and 70 °C) in two-air velocities (0.09 and 0.18 m/s). The optimal water activity which is related to conservation is 0.28. The LESPAM model was found to be the most appropriate for describing the sorption curves. The air drying temperature is a principal factor influencing the drying kinetics; the drying rate decreases in low air drying temperature, the air velocity had a small impact on the drying kinetics of Herniaria hirsuta. The Midilli-Kuck model was found to be the best fitted drying curves in thin layers for Herniaria hirsuta. The effective diffusivity of moisture water values changed from 2.5312 10−9 to 18.0511 10−9 m2·s−1, and increased simultaneously with the increase of temperature. The average activation energy of the diffusion process is obtained to be 2938.46 kJ/kg; it expresses the temperature effect on the diffusion coefficient. Dried Herniaria hirsuta under the maximum drying parameters showed highest retention of antioxidant activity, while the total phenolics and flavonoids were decreased by 10 and 46%, respectively.

Compound Characterization and Metabolic Profile Elucidation after In Vitro Gastrointestinal and Hepatic Biotransformation of an Herniaria hirsuta Extract Using Unbiased Dynamic Metabolomic Data Analysis.

Herniaria hirsuta L. (Caryophyllaceae) is used for treatment of urinary stones and as a diuretic. Little is known about the active compounds and the mechanism of action. The phytochemical composition of H. hirsuta was comprehensively characterized using UHPLC-UV-HRMS (Ultrahigh-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Ultraviolet-High Resolution Mass Spectrometry) data. An in vitro gastrointestinal model was used to simulate biotransformation, which allowed the monitoring of the relative abundances of individual compounds over time. To analyze the longitudinal multiclass LC–MS data, XCMS, a platform that enables online metabolomics data processing and interpretation, and EDGE, a statistical method for time series data, were used to extract significant differential profiles from the raw data. An interactive Shiny app in R was used to rate the quality of the resulting features. These ratings were used to train a random forest model. The most abundant aglycone after gastrointestinal biotransformation was subjected to hepatic biotransformation using human S9 fractions. A diversity of compounds was detected, mainly saponins and flavonoids. Besides the known saponins, 15 new saponins were tentatively identified as glycosides of medicagenic acid, acetylated medicagenic acid and zanhic acid. It is suggested that metabolites of phytochemicals present in H. hirsuta, most likely saponins, are responsible for the pharmaceutical effects. It was observed that the relative abundance of saponin aglycones increased, indicating loss of sugar moieties during colonic biotransformation, with medicagenic acid as the most abundant aglycone. Hepatic biotransformation of this aglycone resulted in different metabolites formed by phase I and II reactions.

In vitro litholytic activity of extracts and phenolic fractions of some medicinal plants on urinary stones

Objective: This study was carried out to evaluate the efficiency of plant extracts used in traditional medicine on the dissolution of oxalo-calcic and cystine stones. Also, the efficiency of phenolic fractions (Tannins and Flavonoids) for the plants that gave us the best stone dissolution rate. Subjects and methods: Kidney stone of oxalo-calcic and cystine stones were incubated in vitro for 8 weeks in the presence of five plants extracts (hydro-ethanolic and aqueous extracts). NaCl solution (0,9 %) used as negative control and sodium citrate solution at 3 mM/L as a positive control. The studied plants were Herniaria hirsuta L. aerial parts, Opuntia ficus-indica L. flowers, Zea mays L. stigmata, Ammi visnaga L. seeds and Ziziphus lotus L. fruits. After 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks the stones were weighed after 18 h drying at 40°C and the dissolution rate of the stones and the pH of the solution were measured.Results: After eight weeks, all the plant extracts and phenolic fractions had revealed a significant effect to dissolve oxalo-calcic and cystine stones in comparison to the control solutions. The best result of cystine stones was showed with aqueous extract of H. hirsuta aerial parts which had a dissolution rate of 88,91 %. Concerning the dissolution rate of oxalo-calcic stones the aqueous extract of Z. mays had the best results with 68 % against 19 % for the sodium citrate solution. The dissolution rate of the fractions studied showed a better result for Z. mays flavonoids fraction toward oxalo-calcic stones, and Z. mays tannins fraction for cystine stones. The pH undergoes a non-negligible linear increase over the eight weeks for all extracts and phenolic fractions and both kidney stones.Conclusion: The tested plants' extracts and the phenolic fractions for the plants that gave us the best stone dissolution rate were able to dissolve oxalo-calcic and cystine stones. To confirm the efficiency of these plant extracts on the treatment of oxalo-calcic and cystine stones multiple in vivo tests could be made.

New floristic records from Central Europe 6 (reports 81-98)

The presented sixth part of the series includes 18 new chorological records of vascular plants, five from Poland and thirteen from Slovakia. In Poland, the first spontaneous occurrence of Clinopodium nepeta subsp. nepeta outside cultivation is reported from Kraków. Also new localities of Euphorbia maculata, Panicum capillare, Plantago coronopus and Symphyotrichum ciliatum from southern Poland were found. In Slovakia, new records of alien Cardamine occulta, Lindernia dubia, Nigella damascena, Pistia stratiotes (with map of known records), Sagittaria latifolia, Senecio inaequidens, Silybum marianum and Vinca major were done as well as autochthonous Cotoneaster melanocarpus, Herniaria hirsuta, Verbascum speciosum and Xeranthemum annuum.

Nephrotoxicity associated with herbal medicine use, experience from Morroco

To study the incidence of nephrotoxicity associated with the use of plants in the nephrology department of hospital university Hassan II Fez, Morocco. This was a prospective study of plants use by patients with kidney disease. Medical records of patients with kidney disease who consumed plants that could be nephrotoxic were reviewed. Information about age, sex, etiology, and bio-data were collected. The incidence of nephrotoxicity related to plants use was 3% (18/600) of all the patients with nephropathy coming to the department during the study period. The most plants incriminated in the nephrotoxicity according to the study were: Aristolochia longa, Herniaria Hirsuta, Artemisia herba alba asso, and Cassia senna. The use of plants by patients with kidney disease may promote or aggravate pre-existing kidney disease. Hence, the value of monitoring the phytovigilance system.

The role of graveyards in species conservation and beta diversity: a vegetation appraisal of sacred habitats from Bannu, Pakistan

Graveyards or sacred groves are often places of natural vegetation protected by spiritual believers because of their sacred beliefs and indigenous culture. A study of graveyards was conducted to determine their role in species conservation, community formation, and associated indicators and species composition using multivariate statistical approaches. It was hypothesized that variations in the age of graveyards would give rise to diverse plant communities under the impact of various edaphic and climatic factors. Quantitative ecological techniques were applied to determine various phytosociological attributes. All the data were put in MS Excel for analysis in PCORD and CANOCO softwares for cluster analysis (CA), two-way cluster analysis (TWCA), indicator species analysis and canonical correspondence analysis. CA and TWCA through Sorenson distance measurements identified five major graveyard plant communities: (1) Ficus–Bougainvillea–Chenopodium; (2) Acacia–Datura–Convolvulus; (3) Ziziphus–Vitex–Abutilon; (4) Acacia–Lantana–Salsola; and (5) Melia–Rhazya–Peganum. Species such as Capparis decidua, Herniaria hirsuta, Salvadora oliedes and Populus euphratica were only present inside graveyards rather than outside and advocate the role of graveyards in species conservation. The impact of different environmental and climatic variables plus the age of the graveyards were also assessed for comparison of plant communities and their respective indicator species. The results indicate that higher chlorine concentration, age of graveyards, low soil electrical conductivity, lower anthropogenic activities, higher nitrogen, calcium and magnesium concentrations in the soil, and sandy soils were the strong environmental variables playing a significant role in the formation of graveyard plant communities, their associated indicators and species distribution patterns. These results could further be utilized to evaluate the role of edaphic and climatic factors, indicator species and conservation management practices at a greater scale.

Phytochemical Screening, Polyphenols Content, Antioxidant Power, and Antibacterial Activity of Herniaria hirsuta from Morocco.

The aim of this study is to investigate in vitro antioxidant and antibacterial activities of the aqueous and hydroethanolic extracts for aerial parts of Herniaria hirsuta. Extracts were screened for their possible antioxidant activities by three tests: DPPH free radical-scavenging, reducing power, and molybdenum systems. The screening of antibacterial activity of extracts was individually evaluated against sixteen bacteria species using a disc diffusion method. Flavonoids, total phenols, and tannins content were performed for both extracts. It shows higher content in the hydroethanolic extract. The hydroethanolic extract showed a significant antioxidant activity for the three methods studies to the aqueous extract, but nonsignificant results compared to the reference (BHT). However, both extracts have negative effect on the strains studies for the antibacterial activity.

Saponins and Flavonoids from an Infusion of Herniaria hirsuta.

Stone diseases present a major health problem in the Western society, since both urinary and biliary stones occur with a relatively high prevalence of 10-12 % and 10-20 %, respectively, and demonstrate a high recurrence rate. At the moment treatment is mainly based on interventional procedures, or prophylactic and dissolution therapy. However, many of the current drugs cause severe side effects, and therefore, there is an increasing interest in natural medicines. At the moment no registered herbal medicinal products are available for treatment of gallstones. Since an infusion of Herniaria hirsuta L.has a proven efficacy against urolithiasis and cholelithiasis, its phytochemical composition has been investigated. Two previously undescribed triterpene saponins, 28-O-{[β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1 → 4)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)]-[β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-6)]-β-D-glucopyranosyl}-medicagenic acid and 3-O-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 3)-β-D-glucuronopyranosyl]-28-O-{[β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 3)-β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1 → 4)]-[β-D-apiofuranosyl-(1 → 3)]-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-β-D-fucopyranosyl}-medicagenic acid and three known flavonoids, quercetin-3-O-(2″-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl)-β-D-glucuronopyranoside, rutin, and narcissin (isorhamnetin-3-O-rutinoside), were isolated using flash chromatography and successive semi-preparative HPLC and were well characterized by MS and 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic techniques. These findings could contribute to the development of a standardized extract that can be used in prophylaxis and treatment of gall and kidney stones.

Development and validation of a method for standardization of infusions of Herniaria hirsuta

Herniaria hirsuta L. is traditionally used in Morocco to treat kidney stones, and shows cholesterol lowering effects and activity against gallstones [1, 2]. An HPLC-DAD method for the quantification of flavonoids and saponins, the main compounds, was developed and validated according to the ICH guidelines in order to standardize the extract. Several analytical columns and mobile phases were tested. For each solvent system, the gradient was optimized. The extraction solvent composition and the sonication time were evaluated. Sonication for 20 minutes with 50% (v/v) methanol gave the best extraction results. A gradient, starting with 5% acetonitrile (ACN) + 0.05% formic acid (FA) going to 100% ACN + 0.05% FA, using the Apollo C18 column, gave the best resolution. The flavonoïd content was expressed as rutin and the saponin content as hederacoside C. The calibration model appeared to be linear. Though for most of the flavonoids and for the saponins, there is a significant effect of the factor day and/or factor concentration, the precision of the method is acceptable taking into account the complexity of the analysis. The RSDI(Tc) for the determination of flavonoids is smaller than 3% and values for saponins ranged from 3.13% to 14.54%. Saponins are detected at a wavelength of 210nm causing higher variation in results, especially when the concentration is low, which is the case for one of them. Therefore only the total content of saponins can be determined with an acceptable RSDI(Tc) (3.13%). The method can be considered as accurate for flavonoids (mean recovery 99.18%). For the saponins the mean recovery is 109.20%, and because this falls out of the generally accepted limits (97% to 103%), it should be mentioned with every result obtained with this method.