Reduction of infection stones in rats by combined antibiotic and phosphocitrate therapy

The potential of phosphocitrate to inhibit infection stones in rats when combined with an antibiotic was studied. A significant reduction occurred in both the number and weight of recovered stones from rats receiving combined treatment with amoxycillin (50 mg./kg. body wt./day and phosphocitrate (112 mumol./kg. body wt./day) for four weeks. The inhibitory responses were attributed to the intact phosphocitrate molecule as administration of citrate in equimolar concentrations did not mimic the observed effects of phosphocitrate. In comparison with non-infected controls, antibiotic treatment alone failed to eliminate total stone growth. However, composition of the stone reverted from predominantly struvite to a mixture of struvite and newberyite as urinary parameters normalized. The studies highlight the usefulness of phosphocitrate to restrict magnesium salt deposition in vivo.