Cicer arietinum in the Treatment of Small Renal Stones: a Double-Blind, Randomized and Placebo-Controlled Trial

• Main Authors: Mahdi Biglarkhani, Mohammad Ali Amir Zargar, Fataneh Hashem-Dabaghian, Farshad Amini Behbahani, Azam Meyari, Omid Sadeghpour*
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Iranian Society of Pharmacognosy 2018-01-01
• Series: Research Journal of Pharmacognosy
• Subjects: Cicer arietinum; Clinical trial; Iranian traditional medicine; kidney calculi
• Online Access: http://www.rjpharmacognosy.ir/article_80369_008d01208868b4fc613adacd35698aa5.pdf
• ISSN: 2345-4458; 2345-5977

<strong>Background and objectives:</strong> Urolithiasis is a common urological disorder. Based on the Persian medicine literatures, <em>Cicer arietinum</em> has a potential to dissolve renal stones. This study was designed to assess the efficacy and safety of <em>Cicer arietinum</em> in patients with renal stone.<br /> <strong>Methods: </strong>The extract of <em>C. arietinum</em> seeds was spray dried. A randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted on 74 patients with 6-10 mm renal stones in ultrasonography. Patients were randomly assigned to take 330 mg of <em>C. arietinum</em> extract or placebo capsules three times a day for 30 days. Complete stone dissolution and the change in stone size during the trial was evaluated by ultrasonography. To assess the efficacy and safety of <em>C. arietinum</em>, blood and urine biochemical parameters were checked at baseline and after the intervention.<strong> Results: </strong>In the <em>C. arietinum </em>group, complete stone dissolution occurred in 9 (23.7%) patients and reduce in stone size was observed in 17 (44.7%) patients while no response to treatment was observed in placebo group<strong>. </strong>The mean stone size was reduced from 7.15 ± 1.34 mm to 4.28 ± 3.09 mm in the <em>C. arietinum </em>group (p<0.001) and was increased from 7.08 ± 1.09 mm to 7.15 ±1.09 mm in the placebo group (p=0.13). The changes of the stone size were significantly higher in the drug consumergroup(p˂0.001). The changes of the urinary volume and magnesium level were significantlyhigher in the treatmentgroup (P=0.04 and P=0.02, respectively).<strong> Conclusion</strong>: <em>Cicer arietinum</em> extract could be an effective and safe treatment option for patients with 6-10 mm renal stones.