title: Study of antiurolithiatic activity of Asparagus racemosus on albino rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of ethanolic extract of Asparagus racemosus on urolithiasis in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-six male Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into six groups (n = 6). Ethylene glycol (EG) 0.75% and ammonium chloride (AC) 2% in drinking water were fed to all groups (Groups II-VI) except normal control (Group I) rats for 10 days to induce urolithiasis. Group III-VI rats were treated with ethanolic extract of Asparagus racemosus at doses 200, 400, 800, and 1600 mg/kg, respectively, for 10 days. Positive control (Group II) rats were treated with EG/AC alone. Group I rats were administered drinking water and distilled water (6 μl/g) by gavage. After 10 days, blood samples were collected and analyzed for serum concentrations of calcium, phosphorus, urea, and creatinine. The kidneys were removed and sectioned for histopathological examination. The data were presented as mean ± standard error of mean and analyzed using one-way analysis of variance and Student's "t"-test. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Conventional windows software was used for statistical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The rats treated with ethanolic extract of A. racemosus at doses 800 and 1600 mg/ kg significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the serum concentrations of calcium, phosphorus, urea, and creatinine. Histopathology of the kidneys in Groups V and VI revealed less tissue damage and were almost similar to Group I rats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ethanolic extract of A. racemosus has protective effect against urolithiasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, S.V.S Medical College, Mahabubnagar, Andhra Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Narumalla
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jagannath
authors.forename: Somashekara S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Chikkannasetty
authors.forename: Damodaram
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Govindadas
authors.forename: Golla
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Devasankaraiah
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D027761:Asparagus Plant; D008297:Male; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D052878:Urolithiasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Ammonium chloride; Asparagus racemosus; antiurolithiatic activity; ethylene glycol