Effect of Ficus Carica and Zea Mays on Calcium Release from Oxalocalcic Urinary Calculi Using the Potentiometric...

A stone is a compact mass of one or more crystallised substances. The essential mechanism of stone formation is an excessive concentration of poorly soluble compounds in the urine. In excessive concentration, these compounds precipitate into crystals, which then aggregate to form a stone. The use of certain plants using the turbidimetric model has shown positive results on oxalocalcic crystallisation and, according to a recent study, has revealed very high inhibition rates.

The aim of this study was to dissolve calcium oxalate urinary stones using two medicinal plants with high inhibition rates by monitoring Ca²⁺ release, pH variation, and mass loss. The study consisted of treating the stones with two plants, Ficus-carica and Zea mays, at two concentrations of 10g/l and 25g/l for 24 hours.

The main analytical techniques used in this study were as follows: Morphological analysis using a binocular magnifying glass, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic method, and potentiometric method along with specific calcium electrode and an analytical balance. The study on the release of Ca²⁺ in the presence of the different herbal teas during 8 treatments of 3 to 4 hours was carried out on a series of 33 stones with the same chemical composition from several spontaneous expulsions of a 43-year-old male subject with lithiasis.

The results showed a very remarkable effect of the Ficus-carica plant on Ca²⁺ release, which recorded 156.98 ppm, while Zea mays gave 130.63 ppm.

The kinetics of Ca²⁺ release were monitored by a potentiometer using a Ca^2+- specific electrode. Zea mays at 10g/l showed a slightly positive effect on calculus dissolution compared to Ficus-carica.