Urolithiasis is a common problem worldwide manifested with recurrent intermittent pain episodes, which today is increasing due to changes in lifestyle patterns, including sedentary and consumption of protein, fat, and fiber-free foods, as well as stress. Today, the role of nutrition in the formation of kidney stones as well as in its prevention is recognized as a key factor. Dolichos Biflorus is one of the most famous plants that are known as a useful food in the prevention and treatment of kidney stones. In this review study, electronic databases of PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, Google Scholar, and Web of science and Persian medicinal books such as Al- Hawi, Al-Shamel fi-Alsenaat Altebbiah, Makhzan-al-Advia, and Tohfat al Momenin were searched to identify all the studies reporting the effects of Dolichos Biflorus on kidney stones.
Dolichos Biflorus seeds contain effective substances in preventing kidney stones formation. These substances include Citrate, Magnesium, Potassium, and Vitamin B6. A protein has been identified in Dolichos Biflorus grain that has antiseptic and inhibitory stone formation properties. In several studies, the effect of Dolichos Biflorus extract on the dissolution of kidney stones and their prevention has been investigated.
Dolichos Biflorus seeds can be used as a useful and effective food in patients with kidney stones, in addition to its nutritional role, as a harmless drug to prevent stone production.
Objectives
Given high and growing prevalence rate of urolithiasis in most societies as well as the problems caused by this issue, it is necessary to apply more cost-effective and safer therapeutic methods, which are accessible for all the individuals worldwide. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate efficacy of herbal medicines named Cynodon dactylon and Dolichos biflorus on solving and excretion of renal and urinary tract stones in patients with urolithiasis.
Methods
This study included 96 patients with urolithiasis who were randomly allocated into three groups. The first group received the extract of D. biflorus seeds (1,600 mg), the second group received extract of C. dactylon rhizome (1,600 mg) and the third group received placebo for 21 days. In this study, we used an hydroalcoholic extract of D. biflorus and C. dactylon prepared by Soxhlet method. For each patient, the size of the stones, the amount of calcium in the urine, the number of stones excreted and their chemical substance type were measured.
Results
In this study, changes were observed at the significance level in the interventions groups of 1 and 2, and the placebo group in the left kidney, so that changes in size of the stone in left kidney as intergroup were significantly different in these three groups (p=0.02). The mean of changes in stone size in left kidney in the group C. dactylon was 3.78 ± 7.1 and in the group D. biflorus, it was 0.27 ± 0.6.
Conclusions
A significant difference in the results of this study show that C. dactylon rhizome and D. biflorus seed extracts are able to decrease the size of the stone and can be effective on kidney stones excretion.
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