Changes in urinary compositions among children after consuming prepared oral doses of aloe (Aloe vera Linn).

OBJECTIVES: 1) To investigate the amount of citrate and tartrate in aloe gel, and in the urine of healthy normal children, before and after consuming fresh aloe gel. 2) To evaluate the changes in the chemical composition of urine among subjects after taking aloe gel. 3) To determine the value of consuming aloe gel for prevention of renal stone formation. DESIGN: Experimental study. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Thirteen healthy boys between 9 and 13 years of age were enrolled (with informed permission) in the clinical trial. Subjects ingested 100 g of fresh prepared aloe gel twice a day for seven consecutive days. The 24-hour urine was collected one day prior to taking the gel (Day 0), Days 2 and 5 of consumption, and Day 8 (one day after completion). The authors determined the urine volume, osmolality, potassium, sodium, phosphate, calcium, magnesium, uric acid, citrate, tartrate, oxalate, Permissible Increment in Calcium (PI Ca), Permissible Increment in Oxalate (PI Ox), Concentration Product Ratio of Calcium Phosphate (CPR CaPO4) and the citrate per creatinine ratio. RESULTS: The citrate and tartrate concentration in 100 g of fresh aloe gel was 96.3 and 158.9 mg, respectively. The 24-hr urine volume and urinary citrate excretion were significantly increased (p < 0.05). The PI Ca and the PI Ox were also significantly increased (p < 0.05). The other measurements were unremarkable. CONCLUSION: One hundred grams of fresh Aloe vera gel contains 96.3 milligrams of citrate and 158.9 milligrams of tartrate and were in the mid-range among Thai fruits. Changes in chemical compositions of urine after aloe gel consumption shows potential for preventing kidney stone formation among children.

Thicknesses of the iliac crest appropriate for anterior cervical interbody fusion grafts.

Autogenous tricortical iliac crest bone graft is the most widely used for the anterior cervical interbody fusion procedure. The authors performed systematic measurements to delineate the thickest areas of the iliac crest, so that surgeons would know where to select the appropriate grafts for cervical interbody fusion. The Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, supplied 232 iliac crests (116 left; 116 right) dried hip bones donated by 67 Thai males and 49 Thai females. The deceased averaged 59 years of age (range, 26-86). The thickest part of the iliac crest extended from 3 to 5 cm posterior to the ASIS and ranged between 15.59 and 17.02 mm. These regions have an appropriate thickness for harvesting graft material.