Experience in using phytotherapy for the treatment of infection-induced urinary stones
Authors: Konstantinova O. V. , Yanenko E. K. , Prosyannikov M. Yu. , Katibov M. I. 
Published: September 2018

The phosphate (infection-induced) urolithiasis is one of the most common forms of urinary stone disease. Infection-induced urinary stones usually recur, and patients with this form is a very complicated category of patients with urolithiasis that requires constant monitoring. It involves not only a systematic examination, but also a comprehensive treatment. The study was aimed at evaluating the effect of phytolysin on the infectious inflammatory process and the metabolic stone-forming condition in patients with phosphate (infection-induced) urolithiasis.

Materials and methods. We examined 55 patients with recurrent phosphate (infection-induced) urolithiasis – 37 women and 18 men, age range 31–68 years. The biochemical examination showed that the functional state of the liver and kidneys of patients was normal. The common urine examination showed leukocyturia in all patients and phosphate crystalluria and triphyl phosphates in the vast majority of cases. The bacteriological urine analysis detected bacteriuria in all patients. Urease-producing strains Ps. aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis, Proteus vulgaris were identified: the titre was 104 to 106 CFU/ml. The overwhelming majority of biochemical tests were performed using chemistry kits and Labsystems automatic analyzer; the common urine examination was performed using Aution Max Ax-4280 device and light microscopy, the bacteriological urine analysis was made by the common standard method. Statistical data analysis was carried out using Student’s t-test and the results were considered reliable at p-value ≤ 0.05. The drug was used at a dose of 1 teaspoon diluted in half a glass of sweetened water, 3 times a day after meals. The duration of 1 course of treatment with phytolysin ranged from 1 to 2 months. In addition to phytolysin, all patients were prescribed a diet that limited intake of citrus fruits, dried fruits and foods with a high content of stone-forming substances or their precursors, and a water intake of at least 2 litres/day. The effect of the drug on the patient’s condition was assessed using 15 blood and urine chemistry values and by 3 urine common examination values. The examination showed that 70 leukocytes per field in patients with leukocyturia decreased up to 20–40 leukocytes per field.

Results. The examination showed that 70 leukocytes per field in patients with leukocyturia decreased up to 20–40 leukocytes per field. Urine pH A decreased from 6.75 ± 0.29 to 6.44 ± 0.18 in 72.7% of cases. Phosphate crystalluria persisted, but calcium crystallium phosphates (rather than triphyl phosphates) prevailed. Renal excretion of uric acid increased from 3.88 ± 0.14 to 4.46 ± 0.23 mmol/day in 83.6% of cases.

Conclusions. It was found that the use of phytolysin did not change the functional state of the liver and kidneys, which remained within the normal limits. The activity of the infectious-inflammatory process in the urinary system decreased. No effect on the metabolism of potassium, sodium, calcium, inorganic phosphates was detected. Renal excretion of uric acid was identified.