Surgical therapy in animals suffering from urolithiasis has been tried with variable results. Ayurvedic medicines, which had a pioneering role in ancient times, have remained neglected for a long time in the field of research. However, in recent times, research has evolved a combination of various herbal medicines which have a stone-dissolving effect and then flush out the residual calculi from the system by increased diuresis. Therefore, it was considered desirable to evaluate the lithotriptic, indigenous, oral drug Cystone (Himalaya) in bovines.

The present study was conducted in different ways:

1. Physical and chemical analyses of bovine uroliths

   Physical and chemcial analyses of nephroliths taken from slaughtered buffaloes were done. These were mainly composed of calcium and magnesium carbonates.

2. In vitro dissolution of bovine uroliths

   The nephroliths were then immersed in vitro in aqueous and urinary solutions of Cystone (in distilled water, and in fresh buffalo urine respectively). For controls, the same solutions, but without the drug, were used.

   The drug exhibited 5.38% dissolution of calculi in distilled water and 2.6% in bovine urine. But in the control group there was no change during the 15-day period of observation.

3. Surgical technique – implantation of uroliths for oral therapy

Six male buffalo calves were fed Cystone for 2 months at a dose of 2 grams twice daily. Another 6 buffaloes were kept as controls. Irregular uroliths of known weight, sterilised by dipping in oxytetracycline solution, were wired around and anchored in the bladder cavity on day 0 and day 31 of the therapy.

At the end of 60 days an autopsy was conducted and the calculi were recovered and weighed. The calculi showed 72.12% dissolution by weight with Cystone for 60 days, whereas the control group showed only 15.20% dissolution in weight (See Table 1).

Table 1: Dissolution of uroliths with Cystone
30-day treatment period			60-day treatment period
Pre-implant weight (mg)	Post-implant weight (mg)	Dissolution of urolith (mg)	Pre-implant weight (mg)	Post-implant weight (mg)	Dissolution of urolith (mg)
352.34	209.50	142.84	840.00	212.67	627.33



4. Diuretic Study

The diuretic effect of Cystone was checked in 3 male buffaloes with exteriorised ureters. After collection of normal urine samples every 15 minutes for 1 hour, 20ml of saline was given intravenously. The urine volume was noted again every 15 minutes for 1 hour.

Cystone aqueous/alcoholic extract, equivalent to 2 grams of pure powder, was injected intravenously in 20ml saline. Urine samples were again collected every 15 minutes for 2 hours.

The study revealed that calves showed a significant increase of urine output during the hours of medication. With the rise in urine volume, the sodium, potassium and chloride levels increased significantly after medication.

The clinical cases recorded also support the experimental findings. Animals which were urinating in a thin stream with increased frequency changed to a thick one without tenesmus.

Cystone was found to possess a good calculi-dissolving property and a powerful diuretic property with no Na, K or Cl imbalance. Even in clinical cases, a two-month course of Cystone was found to be useful with no recurrence. All the animals remained healthy during the experimental period.

The authors are thankful to the Vice Chancellor and the dean of the Institution for providing necessary facilities, to Dr. Indra Gupta, Retd. Professor of Pharmacology and to the late Dr. G.S. Bist, Retired Lecturer of Statistics and Livestock Economics for their kind help in the above work, and to The Himalaya Drug Co., Bombay for supplying us Cystone and the necessary funds for the trial.