International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, Volume 5, Issue 7, July 2015 1 ISSN 2250-3153 www.ijsrp.org Analysis of kidney stones by PXRD and evaluation of the antiurolithic potential of Coix lacryma jobi. Ksh.Sangeeta Devi 1 , M. Damayanti 2 , D.Velmurugan 3 N.Rajen Singh 1 1 Department of Chemistry Manipur University, 2 Department of Life Sciences,Manipur university, 3 Centre for Advance Study in Crystallography and Biophysics, University of Madras. Abstract- From centuries human has been afflicted by urinary calculi (Urolithiasis). These calculi are formed from crystal aggregation and retention in the urinary tract. The incidence and prevalence of urolithiasis may be related to various factors including age, sex, ethnicity, diet, fluid intake, genetic predisposition, climatic conditions, and urinary tract infections. Study of chemical composition and ultrastructure of various types of calculi helps in understanding mechanism of urolith nucleation, growth and aggregation; subsequently, it helps in prevention and management of urolithiasis. In the present investigation, PXRD technique was used to determine mineral composition of renal calculi. Results of the present investigation revealed that renal calculus of calcium oxalate is more abundant than calcium salts of phosphate. Among the calcium salts of oxalate, whewellite form is more abundant than weddellite form. From centuries back, medicinal plants were used for the treatment of urolithiasis. Here in the present investigation, antiurolithic property of a commonly used medicinal plant, Coix lacryma jobi was assessed by subjecting different extracts of this plant for its in vitro antibacterial activity and decrystallizing property. Among the different extracts, extracts of chloroform and petroleum show maximum antibacterial property. Moreover, the aqueous extract can decrystallize renal calculi. Therefore, Coix lacryma jobi may be used as a plant for the treatment of urolithiasis. The present investigation also highlights that calcium oxalate are found to be more prevalent than other types of renal calcluli. However, mechanism of decrystallizing property and antibacterial activity of this plant needs further investigation. Index Terms- Urolithiasis, Antibacterial, Renal calculi, Decrystallization. I. INTRODUCTION rolithiasis, the formation of urinary calculi anywhere in the urinary system, is one of the common disease of urinary tract and can cause renal failure in human (1). The incidence and prevalence of the urolithiasis may be related to various factors including age, sex, ethnicity, diet, fluid intake, genetic predisposition, climatic conditions and urinary tract infections (2). It has been recognised as one of the most painful medical disorders having the tendency to recur, and the recurrence rate is 75% during 20 years (3). Approximately 80% of stones are composed of calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate, 10% of struvite, 9% of uric acid and the remaining 1% composed of cystine or ammonium acid irate (4). Apart from various factors which induce the formation of kidney stones, kidney stone formation by bacterial infection in the urinary tract is one of the serious problem due to its high prevalence of recurrence. Most of the urea splitting organisms such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia, Escherichia coli were reported to be capable of causing urinary tract infection (5),(6). Bacterial infection may induce stone formation by cystal adherence. When the urea-splitting organisms infect the urinary tract, bacteria disintegrate the urea excreted in the urine in the presence of urease enzyme, which subsequently trigger the formation of ammonia rendering the urine alkaline. In alkaline state, urine tends to contain precipitated crystals of calcium and magnesium phosphate and calcium carbonate in large amount thereby leading to a strong tendency to form calcium phosphate and calcium carbonate calculi (7). For the prevention and management of urolithiasis, studies of chemical composition and ultrastructure of various types of kidney stones is very important. Various techniques can be used to determine the mineral composition of the kidney stones. The PXRD technique can be used as one of the most efficient method to determine mineral composition of the renal calculi (8). From centuries plants have been used for the treatment of various ailments. About 80% of the world population depends on medicinal plants for their primary health care (9). From the last three decades the use of medicinal plants is increased as people thought that medicinal plants has less side effects and are more safer than the modern allopathic medicines (10),(11). A variety of plants including those used by traditional medical practitioners grow luxuriantly in Manipur, a region in the North-Eastern part of India, which happens to be within the Indo-Burmese mega-biodiversity hot-spot (12). Many plants are conventionally used to prevent formation of stone as well as to dissolve and remove them from the human body. Among them Coix lacryma jobi, a tall grain-bearing tropical plant belonging to the family Poaceae have been used from the time immemorable by local traditional healers in the treatment of kidney stone and Urinary tract infection (13). But no scientific investigation had been carried out. The present study aims to investigate the antiurolithic property, antimicrobial property and kidney stone solubility test of the different extracts of Coix lacryma jobi. Moreover, present investigations also perform the kidney stone analysis using PXRD method. II. MATERIALS AND METHOD 2.1 Collection and preparation of plant extracts: The leaves of Coix lacryma-jobi Var. were randomly collected from different locations of Imphal East and Imphal West Districts of Manipur, India. The leaves were washed with tap water, then rinsed with distilled water and cut into small U