In-vitro Growth and Inhibition Studies of Tribulus Terrestris on Calcium Oxalate Monohydrate Crystals

Problem statement A many number of people in this world are suffering from urinary stone problem in different age groups. Nephrolilthiasis is the term given to a metabolic conditions in which the signs and symptoms results from the deposition of crystals of Calcium Oxalate Monohydrate (COM) in various connective tissues. Approach It was quite very difficult to grow good quality of large COM crystals because COM was having very low solubility in any known solvents. Results Attempts were made in the present investigation to grow COM crystals in vitro by single diffusion gel growth technique which is quite suitable to mimic the growth of COM crystals in vivo up to a certain extent. Good quality tiny crystals were grown by gel method which was characterized by FTIR, Powder X-ray diffraction and Thermo gravimetric analysis. The characterization study confirmed the formation of COM crystals in the experiments. Herbal extract solutions of tribulus terrestris were used for the growth inhibition study of calcium oxalate crystals. Aqueous herbal extract solutions were powdered as supernatant solution along with the control solution on the set gels during the growth experiment. Conclusion Tribulus terrestris extract dissolved COM crystals after 21 days of pouring the supernatant solution on the gel. This in vitro study may be helpful for in vivo studies, which may further lead to develop a preclinical formulation for kidney stone treatment