Abstract:

Potassium tartrate (K₂tart), potassium citrate (K_3cit) and dipotassium ethylene diamine tetraacetate (K₂edta) can be used to prevent and cure calcium oxalate (CaOxa) stones. It was investigated that the modulation of the mixed potassium carboxylates of these three compounds on the crystallization of CaOxa in gel system by a double diffusion technique. The results show that the mixed carboxylates can either induce more calcium oxalate dihydrate (COD) and trihydrate (COT) crystals, or decrease the size and special surface area of calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM). For the mixture of K₂edta and K₃cit, the twisted COD crystals are grown. These twisted COD crystals look like the morphology of the COD grown in healthy human urine and have a less (100) crystal face, which can decrease the retention and adhesion of COD crystals on the surface of renal tubular cells. All these effect can inhibit the formation of CaOxa stones. It demonstrates that the mixed potassium carboxylates have better inhibitive effect than any of the single.

Key words: biomineralization, calcium oxalate, gel, potassium carboxylates