Exploring the Perspective of Lantana camara L. Flowers for Urolithiasis by In Vitro and In Vivo Studies

Abstract

Traditional treatments for urolithiasis include pain management and medical interventions like lithotripsy or surgery. Recently, herbal medicines including Lantana camara, have been investigated for their potential antilithiatic properties and as alternative and complementary therapy for urolithiasis. This study aimed to assess the antilithiatic activity of the hydroalcoholic extract and their fractions obtained from Lantana camara L. flowers. The evaluation involved both in vitro and in vivo experiments. In the in vitro assessment, the impact of the extract and its fractions was investigated on several urolithiasis-related processes, including crystal formation, crystal growth, and aggregation. On the other hand, the in vivo evaluation involved the administration of the extract and fractions to rats with induced urolithiasis to study their effects on stone formation, growth, and dissolution. In the nucleation assay, the dichloromethane fraction exhibited the highest calcium oxalate nucleation inhibition with a percentage inhibition of 30.92% at 60 min of incubation. Similarly, in the aggregation assay, the dichloromethane fraction also showed the highest calcium oxalate aggregation inhibition with percentage inhibition of 45.67% at 360 min of incubation. In the in vivo experiment using animal model, the administration of the extract and fractions of Lantana camara L. flowers significantly reduced lithiasis burden, with the dichloromethane fraction demonstrating superior antilithiatic properties. Moreover, the treatment facilitated the dissolution and passage of existing stones. These results highlighted the effectiveness of Lantana camara L. flowers as anti-lithiatic agent, providing scientific evidence for their potential role in the management ofs urolithiasis.