title: The biochemical and histopathological investigation of amlodipine in ethylene glycol-induced urolithiasis rat model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Urinary calculi are a common and severe problem, which are formed by urolithiasis or by the formation of calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystals in the kidneys. Many treatment options such as drugs, various herbal preparations, surgical removal of the stones, and extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy have been applied for this condition. The aim of this study is to assess the effects of the drug amlodipine in an experimentally induced urolithiasis rat model.
  
  
  METHODS
  The effect of 5 mg/kg amlodipine was studied in rats that were first treated with 1% ethylene glycol and 1% ammonium chloride for 21 days to induce urolithiasis. The weight differences and the levels of calcium, magnesium, and phosphate were measured in serum and urine. In addition, urine CaOx level was defined and histopathological analyses were performed on the kidneys.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Urolithiasis caused a significant increase in both serum and urine parameters compared with healthy rats. Urolithiasis plus amlodipine administration increased the levels of these same parameters. Urine CaOx level was high in urolithiasis rats and was also increased by urolithiasis plus amlodipine administration. The weight of the rats decreased in the urolithiasis plus amlodipine group when compared with the urolithiasis group. Histopathological examinations revealed extensive intratubular crystal depositions and degenerative tubular structures in the urolithiasis group and the amlodipine treatment group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We showed that amlodipine may increase susceptibility to urolithiasis by raising hyperoxaluria and hypercalciuria. Further studies should be performed to elucidate the urolithiasis activity of amlodipine and to confirm the data.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Abdulmecit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Albayrak
authors.forename: Yasin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bayir
authors.forename: Zekai
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Halici
authors.forename: Emre
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Karakus
authors.forename: Akgun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oral
authors.forename: Mevlut Sait
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Keles
authors.forename: Suat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Colak
authors.forename: Tevfik
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zipak
authors.forename: Emrullah
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dorman
authors.forename: Koray
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Uludag
authors.forename: Nuh
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yayla
authors.forename: Erim
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gulcan
mesh_terms: D017311:Amlodipine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000643:Ammonium Chloride / Q000652:urine*; D000818:Animals; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D002129:Calcium Oxalate / Q000652:urine*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D019855:Ethylene Glycol / Q000633:toxicity; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D007684:Kidney Tubules / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D052878:Urolithiasis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D000643:Ammonium Chloride; D017311:Amlodipine; D002129:Calcium Oxalate; D019855:Ethylene Glycol