title: Wu-Ling-San formula inhibits the crystallization of calcium oxalate in vitro.
abstract: Urinary stone disease is a common disease and has a high rate of recurrence. There is no ideal long-term medical treatment to prevent the recurrence of urinary stones. Wu-Ling-San (WLS) formula has been used for centuries in China for long-term treatment of urological diseases. However, no pharmacological studies have been conducted to evaluate its effect on urinary stone disease. Therefore, using a photospectrometer, we studied the effects of WLS on nucleation, growth and aggregation of calcium oxalate in vitro. The results showed that WLS extract significantly slowed the speed of calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystal nucleation. WLS extracts at concentrations of 6.25, 12.5, 25, and 50 mg/ml inhibited nucleation of calcium oxalate crystallization by 344, 387, 543, and 943%, respectively. WLS extracts did not inhibit the growth of CaOx crystallization; however, WLS extracts at concentrations of 12.5 and 25 mg/ml significantly inhibited the aggregation of CaOx crystallization by 74.24% and 75.05%, respectively. WLS extract at a concentration of 50 mg/ml inhibited CaOx aggregation by 92.49%. In conclusion, our results indicate that WLS extract inhibited calcium oxalate nucleation and aggregation, and may have the potential to prevent stone recurrence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yu-Cheng
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chien-Yi
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: Lieh-Der
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Sheng-Feng
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Wen-Chi
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D002129:Calcium Oxalate / Q000737:chemistry*; D003460:Crystallization; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D010316:Particle Size; D013053:Spectrophotometry
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D002129:Calcium Oxalate