Antiurolithiatic effect of triptonide in ethylene glycol-induced urolithiasis in rats.

Urolithiasis is one of the most prevalent benign urological disorders globally with a high incidence rate. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were chemically induced to have urolithiasis and treated with triptonide and the standard antiurolithic drug cystone. Kidney weight was measured to detect calculi formation, and urinary parameters such as pH, 24-h urine volume, and protein content were measured to analyze the urolithiasis induction in rats. The inorganic ions, organic solutes, antioxidant levels, and inflammatory cytokines were measured in the experimental rats. Triptonide treatment significantly modulated the urinary pH, decreased the protein concentration, and increased the urinary outflow in urolithiasis induced rats. It also significantly decreased the urinary excretion of calcium and phosphorous and increased the excretion of magnesium, potassium, sodium, creatinine, and uric acid. SOD, CAT, and GPx levels were increased in triptonide-treated rats, and it significantly reduced the MDA levels. Triptonide treatment also decreased the levels of inflammatory cytokines and prevented the renal tissue from inflammation. To conclude, our results prove that triptonide significantly prevents calculi formation and protects renal tissue from urolithiasis-induced damage in rats. Further studies may prove triptonide a potent alternative to currently available antiurolithic drugs.

The protective role of corilagin on renal calcium oxalate crystal-induced oxidative stress, inflammatory response, and apoptosis via PPAR-γ and PI3K/Akt pathway in rats.

Kidney stones, also known as calcium oxalate (CaOx) nephrolithiasis, are often asymptomatic, leading to kidney injury and renal failure complications. Corilagin is a gallotannin found in various plants and is known to elicit various biological activities. The present study aimed to elucidate the renoprotective effect of corilagin against the rats' renal stones deposition. The rats were induced for nephrolithiasis (CaOx deposition) using 0.75% ethylene glycol in their drinking water. Then, they were treated with corilagin at 50 and 100 mg/kg/day for 4 weeks. At the end of the experimental period, the rats were killed; blood and renal tissues were collected for various histological, biochemical, and gene expression analyses. The results demonstrated that the rats had renal calculi displaying a significant increase in serum creatinine (59.39 µmol/L) and blood urea nitrogen (19.03 mmol/L) levels compared with controls. Moreover, the malondialdehyde (13.29 nmol/mg) level was found to increase with a profound reduction in antioxidants' activities with upregulated inflammatory cytokines. In contrast, the RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry analysis demonstrated a substantial reduction in cell survival markers PPAR-γ and PI3K/Akt with an apparent increase in apoptosis markers genes expressions in rats suffering from renal stones. Thus, the present study results suggest that corilagin could suppress renal CaOx crystal-induced oxidative stress, inflammatory response, and apoptosis via PPAR-γ and PI3K/Akt-mediated pathway.

Effect of Nanobubble-Based Ultrasound Imaging Technology on the Treatment of Ureteral Stenosis.

In order to explore the effect of nanobubble-based ultrasound imaging technology on the treatment of ureteral stenosis, a total of 120 patients, who were confirmed as ureteral stenosis by surgery, pathology or multiple imaging examinations at a designated hospital of the study from December 2015 to December 2018, were selected as research objects and were divided into three groups of targeted nanobubble (TN) group, blank nanobubble (BN) group and control (CT) group with 40 cases in each group. The TN group utilized the nanobubbles with a particle size of (499.52±72.87) nm as carriers to compare and analyze patients' ultrasound images for the predisposition and etiology of ureteral stenosis and the sonogram variations of hydronephrosis, renal pelvis; the BN group utilized the blank nanobubble with a particle size of (446.71±45.36) nm as carriers to perform ultrasound imaging and diagnostic analysis of ureteral stenosis; the CT group directly conducted ureteral stenosis treatment with ultrasound imaging technology. The results showed that the total coincidence rates of the targeted diagnosis for ureteral stenosis of the TN, BN and CT group were 94.38%, 87.52%, and 67.94%, respectively; the coincidence rates of different examination methods for different diagnostic parts were different and the diagnostic coincidence rates of TN group for pelvic ureteral transition area, end of ureter, and the area between pelvic ureteral transition area and end of ureter were 82.91%, 79.66%, and 75.17%, respectively; the diagnostic coincidence rates of BN group for those were 80.32%, 94.77%, respectively and 92.18% and the CT group were 58.66%, 72.14%, and 66.48%, respectively; the diagnosis coincidence rates for ureteral stenosis etiology of the TN, BN and CT group were 93.81%, 82.66% and 64.57%, respectively. Therefore, it was believed that the nanobubble-based ultrasound examination can accurately diagnose the site of ureteral stenosis through the exploration of hydronephrosis and ureteral dilatation with the advantages of simplicity, no pain, repeatable examination, and no impact on renal function, and having high clinical value for diagnosing ureteral stenosis.