Effect of Prunus Mahaleb L. Seed Extract on Ethylene glycol- and Ammonium Chloride-Induced Urolithiasis in BALB/c Mice

BACKGROUND: Kidney stone disease can be quite painful, recurrent, and affects many people. Despite advances in drug therapy, there is still a need to find effective drugs with fewer complications for long-term treatment of kidney stones and to prevent its recurrence. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of Prunus Mahaleb L. seed extract on ethylene glycol- and ammonium chloride-induced urolithiasis in BALB/c mice. METHODS: The Prunus Mahaleb L. seeds were collected in Mashhad (Iran) in June 2017. Urolithiasis was induced in male BALB/c mice by adding ethylene glycol (EG) 0.75% (v/v) and ammonium chloride (AC) 2% (w/v) to their drinking water for 21 consecutive days. A total of 72 animals were randomly divided into six groups of twelve animals each. Group 1 received purified water as control; group 2 received EG+AC in drinking water; groups 3-5 received the extracts by gavage in dosages of 100, 300, 500 mg/kg body weight, respectively; and group 6 received 888 mg/kg Sankol by gavage. Note that urolithiasis was induced in groups 3-6 in the same manner as in group 2. The data were analyzed using GraphPad Prism Software (version 5.01). RESULTS: The group receiving Prunus Mahaleb L. extract in a 500 mg/kg dose responded better to the treatment and less damage to the kidney tissue was observed. The serum parameters remarkably decreased in the calculi-induced animals. Besides, the acute toxicity test showed that the use of the extract was safe in animals. CONCLUSION: The results showed that the use of Prunus Mahaleb L. extract effectively prevented the formation of kidney stones.