Effect of phyllanthus niruri on metabolic parameters of patients with kidney stone: a perspective for disease prevention

ABSTRACT Phyllanthus niruri (P.niruri) or stone breaker is a plant commonly used to reduce stone risk, however, clinical studies on this issue are lacking. Objective: To prospectively evaluate the effect of P. niruri on the urinary metabolic parameters of patients with urinary lithiasis. Materials and Methods: We studied 56 patients with kidney stones <10mm. Clinical, metabolic, and ultrasonography assessment was conducted before (baseline) the use of P. niruri infusion for 12-weeks (P. niruri) and after a 12-week (wash out) Statistical analysis included ANOVA for repeated measures and Tukey's/McNemar's test for categorical variables. Significance was set at 5%. Results: Mean age was 44±9.2 and BMI was 27.2±4.4kg/m2. Thirty-six patients (64%) were women. There were no significant changes in all periods for anthropometric and several serum measurements, including total blood count, creatinine, uric acid, sodium, potassium, calcium, urine volume and pH; a significant increase in urinary potassium from 50.5±20.4 to 56.2±21.8 mg/24-hour (p=0.017); magnesium/creatinine ratio 58±22.5 to 69.1±28.6mg/gCr24-hour (p=0.013) and potassium/creatinine ratio 39.3±15.1 to 51.3±34.7mg/gCr24-hour (p=0.008) from baseline to wash out. The kidney stones decreased from 3.2±2 to 2.0±2per patient (p<0.001). In hyperoxaluria patients, urinary oxalate reduced from 59.0±11.7 to 28.8±16.0mg/24-hour (p=0.0002), and in hyperuricosuria there was a decrease in urinary uric acid from 0.77±0.22 to 0.54±0.07mg/24-hour (p=0.0057). Conclusions: P.niruri intake is safe and does not cause significant adverse effects on serum metabolic parameters. It increases urinary excretion of magnesium and potassium caused a significant decrease in urinary oxalate and uric acid in patients with hyperoxaluria and hyperuricosuria. The consumption of P.niruri contributed to the elimination of urinary calculi.

Cuban flora species as a potential source of DNA protective compounds / Especies de la flora cubana cómo fuente potencial de compuestos protectores del DNA

Environmental exposure to genotoxic agents represents a major health concern for modern society. DNA damage could lead to mutations, which accumulative effect is closely related to degenerative and lethal diseases, such as cancer. Because of their structural and chemical diversity natural products play a fundamental role in pharmaceutical sciences for novel drug discovery. The present review article focuses on pre-clinical studies done with some species from Cuban flora that have been tested with positive antigenotoxic properties against different genotoxins. Special emphasis regarding molecular mechanisms suggested, from antioxidant activity to DNA repair modulation, a critical discussion of the state of art and the perspectives in the use of these plants as a new and promising strategy for genoprotection in the 21st Century are included.

La exposición ambiental a agentes genotóxicos representa un problema de salud significativo en la sociedad actual. El daño al ADN puede generar mutaciones, cuyo efecto acumulativo se encuentra estrechamente relacionado con enfermedades degenerativas y letales como el cáncer. Debido a su diversidad estructural y química los productos naturales juegan un papel fundamental en las ciencias farmacéuticas en el descubrimiento de nuevas drogas. El presente artículo de revisión puntualiza estudios pre-clínicos realizados con determinadas especies de la flora cubana que han sido estudiadas con una respuesta antioxidante positiva frente a diferentes genotoxinas. Se enfatizan especialmente los mecanismos moleculares sugeridos, desde actividad antioxidante hasta modulación de la reparación del ADN, así como una discusión crítica del estado del arte y las perspectivas en el empleo de estas plantas como una estrategia nueva y prometedora para la genoprotección en el siglo 21.

Quantitative determination of phyllanthin in Phyllanthus amarus by high-performance thin layer chromatography

A simple, precise and rapid high-performance thin-layer chromatographic method has been developed for the estimation of phyllanthin and is the important lignans of Phyllanthus amarus. Separation of phyllanthin was carried out on silica gel 60 F254 layers eluted with hexane: ethyl acetate (2:1), and the analytes were visualized through colour development with 10 percent concentrated sulphuric acid in ethanol. Scanning and quantification of spots was performed at 200 nm. The proposed method being precise and sensitive can be used for the detection, monitoring and quantification of phyllanthin from Phyllanthus amarus.

Un método simple, preciso y rápido de cromatografía de capa fina de alto rendimiento ha sido desarrollado para la estimación de phyllantina y los lignanos importante de Phyllanthus amarus. La separación de phyllantina se llevó a cabo en capas de silica gel 60 F254 eluidas con hexano: acetato de etilo (2:1), y los analitos fueron visualizados mediante el desarrollo de color con un 10 por ciento de ácido sulfúrico concentrado en etanol. Los análisis y cuantificación de los puntos se realizó a 200 nm. El método fue validado.

Modulating effect of Phyllanthus fruit extract against lead genotoxicity in germ cells of mice.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the protective effect of Phyllanthus emblica against clastogenicity induced by lead nitrate on the incidence of sperm head abnormalities in the germ cells of mice. At higher concentration of lead, a significant increase in the percentage of sperm head abnormalities was noted but when animals primed with Phyllanthus fruit extract (PFE), a reduction in the frequency of sperm head abnormalities was observed. It can be suggested from the above study that Phyllanthus emblica plays a key role in inhibition of heavy metal mutagenesis in mammals.

Chemopreventive action of Phyllanthus urinaria Linn on DMBA-induced skin carcinogenesis in mice.

The inhibition of tumor incidence by hydro-alcoholic extract of the whole plant of P. urinaria was evaluated in 6-7 weeks old female albino mice on two-stage process of skin carcinogenesis induced by a single application of 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (50 microg/50 microl of acetone), and 2 weeks later, promoted by repeated application of croton oil (1% in acetone/three times a week) till the end of the experiment (15 weeks). Topical application of the extract at a dose of 5 mg/kg body weight/day for 15 weeks at the peri-initiational stage (i.e., 7 days before and 7 days after DMBA application), promotional stage (i.e., from the time of croton oil application) and both peri and post-initiational stages (i.e., 7 days prior to DMBA application and continued till the end of the experiment) on the shaven backs of the mice recorded a significant reduction in tumor incidence to 50, 33.3 and 16.7% respectively in comparison to the control (i.e., the mice treated with DMBA and croton oil only) where tumor incidence was found to be 81.8%. The average number of papillomas per mouse was also significantly reduced. The results suggest a possible chemopreventive property of P. urinaria against DMBA-induced skin papillomagenesis in mice.

Insecticidal activity of the plant Phyllanthus amarus against Tribolium castaneum.

The plant Phyllanthus amarus is used as folk medicine since the year 1800 and has been established for its important medicinal properties particularly for liver ailments. The present communication explores the insecticidal activity of ethanolic extract of aerial and root parts of this plant against stored grain pest Tribolium castaneum. LC 50 values of ethanolic aerial part were 895.77, 473.91, 279.89 and 260.85 microg/cm2, while 512.62, 376.96, 248.88 and 209.79 microg/cm2 for ethanolic root part at the exposure of 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11 days respectively. Ethanolic root extract possessed significant insecticidal activity against T. castaneum.

Hypoglycemic effect of methanol extract of Phyllanthus amarus Schum & Thonn on alloxan induced diabetes mellitus in rats and its relation with antioxidant potential.

Methanolic extract of P. amarus was found to have potential anti-oxidant activity as it could inhibit lipid peroxidation, and scavenge hydroxyl and superoxide radicals in vitro. The amount required for 50% inhibition of lipid peroxide formation was 104 microg/ml and the concentrations needed to scavenge hydroxyl and superoxide radicals were 117 and 19 microg/ml respectively. The extract was found to reduce the blood sugar in alloxan diabetic rats at 4th hr by 6% at a dose level of 200 mg/kg body wt and 18.7% at a concentration of 1000 mg/kg body wt. Continued administration of the extract for 15 days produced significant (P < 0.001) reduction in blood sugar. On 18th day after alloxan administration values were almost similar to normal in the group taking 1000 mg/kg body wt.

A comparative study of Phyllanthus amarus compound and interferon in the treatment of chronic viral hepatitis B.

Fifty-five patients with chronic viral hepatitis B were randomly divided into two groups. Thirty patients were treated with Phyllanthus amarus compound (PA Co) for three months in the treatment group, another 25 patients were treated with domestic recombinant human interferon alpha-1b (IFN-alpha 1b) for three months as controls. The total effective rate in the treatment group was 83.3%, showing no significant difference from the control (p>0.05). The normalization rates of ALT, A/G and SB in the treatment group were 73.3%, 80.0% and 78.2% respectively, which were significantly higher than that in the control (p<0.05). The negative conversion rates of HBeAg and HBV-DNA in the treatment group were 42.3% and 47.8%, showing no significant difference from the control (p>0.005). It is indicated that PA Co has remarkable effect for chronic viral hepatitis B in recovery of liver function and inhibition of the replication of HBV.