6 research outputs found
Effetto dell'età sulla sopravvivenza degli eritrociti di topo.
BULL. SOC. IT. SPER
Magnetic fields induce shape changes in human erythrocytes
none7- ISSN:noneM.C. ALBERTINI; L. GHIBELLI; M.P. PIACENTINI; E. PIATTI; M.B.L. ROCCHI; M. DACHÀ; A. ACCORSIAlbertini, MARIA CRISTINA; L., Ghibelli; Piacentini, MARIA PIERA; Piatti, Elena; Rocchi, MARCO BRUNO LUIGI; M., Dachà ; Accorsi, August
In vitro effects on calcium oxalate crystallization kinetics and crystal morphology of an aqueous extract from Ceterach officinarum: analysis of a potential antilithiatic mechanism
Ceterach officinarum Willd is a plant widespread throughout Europe and used in southern
Italy as a diuretic. Beliefs in the benefits of C. officinarum aqueous extract in the treatment of
calcium oxalate kidney stones are widely held. Little is known, however, about the actual
mechanism of its antilithiatic action. Our results in this in vitro study corroborate C. officinarum
aqueous extract as a good source of antioxidants with a high antioxidant effects. Our
results also demonstrate a major impact of C. officinarum aqueous extract on in vitro
induced calcium oxalate crystallization kinetics and crystal morphology, showing its critical
role in kidney stone formation and/or elimination. We show that progressively increasing
doses of C. officinarum aqueous extract cause a sequence of effects. A powerful inhibitory
action on calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) growth and aggregation is first observed. C.
officinarum aqueous extract also appears highly effective in stimulating nucleation increasing
the number and reducing the size of COM crystals, which become progressively thinner,
rounded and concave in a dose-dependent manner. These shape-modified COM crystals
are known to be less adherent to renal tubular cells and more easily excreted through the
urinary tract preventing kidney stone formation. Further, C. officinarum aqueous extract promotes
the formation of calcium oxalate dihydrate (COD) rather than the monohydrate so
that, at the highest concentrations used, only COD crystals are observed, in significant
greater numbers with a clear reduction in their size, in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore,
AFM analyses allowed us to reveal the presence of C. officinarum component(s) on
the surfaces of COD and modified COM crystals. The crystal surface adsorbed component
(s) are shown to be similarly active as the total aqueous extract, suggesting a trigger factor
which may direct crystal modification towards COD forms. In urolithiasis pathogenesis
COD crystals are less dangerous than the COM forms due to their lower affinity for renal
tubular cells. Our results are important in understanding the mechanisms which guide the
modification induced by C. officinarum on the crystallization process. Based on these data,
together with no adverse toxic effect being observed on the in vitro model of human intestinal
enterocytes, C. officinarum aqueous extract could represent an attractive natural therapy
for the treatment of urolithiasis