In vitro Antiurolithiatic Potential in Asparagus falcatus L., A Folklore Medicinal Plant in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Urolithiasis is the condition where urinary calculi are formed in the urinary tract and is identified as one of the most prevalent diseases throughout the globe. However, the treatment approaches employed in modern medicine are not capable of preventing the recurrence of urinary calculi formation. In this respect, the plant species used in traditional systems of medicine to treat and/or prevent urinary calculi could be explored in order to develop novel antiurolithiatic agents. Therefore, the present study aims at evaluating the antiurolithiatic potential in Asparagus falcatus L., a plant widely employed in indigenous medicine in Sri Lanka to dissolve urinary calculi and to treat other urinary disease conditions. Thus, herein, the antiurolithiatic potential of methanolic extract of the root of A. falcatus was studied under in vitro conditions using crystal nucleation and aggregation assays. Furthermore, the dissolution assay was employed to determine the ability of the plant extract in dissolving surgically removed urinary calculi samples from patients and the results were expressed as percentage weight loss of calculi sample. The results of the in vitro assays revealed that the above extract is capable of preventing crystal nucleation by 13.26% and aggregation by 36.5% at the concentration of 2000 µg/mL. Its efficacy was comparable with a marketed polyherbal combination, cystone which displayed 17.4% and 44.27% inhibition of nucleation and aggregation respectively at the above concentration. In the dissolution assay, the plant extract reduced the weight of the calculi by 5.19% in comparison to the weight loss of 4.28% in the positive control cystone. Thus, our study indicated that the roots of A. falcatus was a potent and promising antiurolithiatic agent while rationalizing its use in traditional medicine.