HERNIARIA - APPR

HERNIARIA

Drenaggio dei liquidi corporei – Funzionalità delle vie urinarie
Ministero della Salute (decreto 9 luglio 2012, aggiornato con decreto 27 Marzo 2014)

Comunemente conosciuta con il nome di “Erniaria”, appartiene alla famiglia delle Caryophyllaceae e se ne utilizzano le parti aeree. Ha fusti eretti e molto ramosi, le foglie sono opposte, ellittiche o lineari. L’Herniaria è una perenne sempreverde, con fogliame minuto verde lucente, che vegeta dal mare alle regioni alpine in tutto il nostro paese. La troviamo nei luoghi erbosi e ben soleggiati, in zone piuttosto ardide, lungo le scarpate della ferrovia.
Nell’Estratto della monografia della Commissione E (1986) si legge:
«L’Erniaria viene utilizzata nel trattamento e nella prevenzione di malattie e disturbi dei reni e delle vie urinarie, delle vie respiratorie, contro le neuriti, la gotta ed i reumatismi, nonché per depurare il sangue».

COSTITUENTI PRINCIPALI
– Saponine triterpeniche (3-9%)
– Flavonoidi (0,2-1,2%)
– Cumarine (0,1-0,4%): Umbelliferone, erniarina
– Tannini; tracce vitamina C (foglie)

IMPIEGO TERAPEUTICO: affezioni vie urinarie.
La Erniaria sarebbe dotata di proprietà diuretiche (Dorvault) ed uricosuriche (Ledere), il che la rende adatta al trattamento della litiasi uratica.

STUDI CLINICI DI RIFERIMENTO

• J Ethnopharmacol.2004 Nov;95(1):87-93.
  Effect of aqueous extract from Herniaria hirsuta L. on experimentally nephrolithiasic rats.
  Atmani F¹, Slimani Y, Mimouni M, Aziz M, Hacht B, Ziyyat A.
  Abstract: Despite considerable progress in medical therapy, there is no satisfactory drug to treat kidney stones. Therefore, this current study is aimed to look for an alternative treatment by using Herniaria hirsuta on nephrolithiasic rats as a preventive agent against the development of kidney stones. The experiment was conducted in normal and calcium oxalate (CaOx) nephrolithiasic rats during 3 weeks. Several parameters were followed weekly including water intake, urinary volume and pH, some urinary chemistries, and crystalluria. At the end, kidneys were analyzed by light microscope. The results showed that water intake and urinary volume increased in nephrolithiasic rats, but their urinary pH decreased especially in the third week of treatment. Urinary oxalate increased significantly during the second week for untreated rats and remained constant in rats treated with Herniaria decoction. However, urinary calcium decreased significantly in week 2 in untreated rats and remained constant in treated rats. Qualitative analysis of crystalluria showed that untreated rats excreted large CaOx monohydrate and few dihydrate crystals while treated animals excreted mostly small CaOx dihydrate crystals. The examination of kidney sections revealed that CaOx deposition was limited in treated rats when compared to untreated ones. These results obtained in vivo confirmed the beneficial effect of Herniaria hirsuta and may justify its use as a preventive agent against the formation of calcium oxalate kidney stones.

• J Urol.2004 Oct;172(4 Pt 1):1510-4.
  Extract from Herniaria hirsuta coats calcium oxalate monohydrate crystals and blocks their adhesion to renal epithelial cells. Atmani F1, Farell G, Lieske JC.
  Abstract:
  PURPOSE – The interaction of calcium oxalate crystals with renal epithelial cells is a critical event in kidney stone formation. In this study we assessed the effect of aqueous extract from Herniaria hirsuta on the adhesion of calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) crystals to cultured renal cells.
  MATERIALS AND METHODS – Madin Darby canine kidney cells were used as a model for studying the adhesion of       radioactive COM crystals in the presence and absence of plant extract.
  RESULTS – COM crystal binding to cells was inhibited by extract in a concentration dependent manner. Prior exposure of crystals but not cells to extract blocked crystal binding, suggesting that plant molecules can coat and exert their effect at the crystal surface. Crystal attachment appeared related to membrane fluidity since crystal adhesion increased at higher vs lower temperatures (37C vs 0C) and Herniaria extract altered crystal adhesion only under conditions of increased fluidity (increased temperature). Extract also displaced a significant portion of prebound crystals without apparent effects on cell function or the morphology of preexisting calcium oxalate crystals. Herniaria extract exerted no adverse or toxic effect on cells, which proliferated normally in its presence even at relatively high concentrations.
  CONCLUSIONS – Our current data suggest a mechanism whereby Herniaria hirsuta extract used in traditional medicine might prevent and possibly eliminate preexisting kidney stones. Further characterization of the active compound(s) could identify a new candidate drug for patients with nephrolithiasis.

• BJU Int.2003 Jul;92(1):137-40.
  Prophylaxis of calcium oxalate stones by Herniaria hirsuta on experimentally induced nephrolithiasis in rats. Atmani F1, Slimani Y, Mimouni M, Hacht B.
  Abstract:
  OBJECTIVE – To evaluate the prophylactic potential of a herbal decoction from Herniaria hirsuta, a medicinal plant widely used in Morocco to treat kidney stones, by assessing the effect of oral administration in experimentally induced calcium oxalate (CaOx) nephrolithiasis in rats.
  MATERIAL AND METHODS – Two groups of six rats each were rendered nephrolithic by treating with ethylene glycol 0.75% and ammonium chloride 1% for 3 days, and then ethylene glycol only for 3 weeks. Maintained on ethylene glycol, one group of rats was also given 1 mL/day of the plant decoction, while the others received 1 mL of water instead for 2 weeks. Urine samples (24 h) were collected individually at 1, 3, 7, and 14 days for physicochemical analysis. On completing the treatment the kidneys were collected and analysed by light microscopy.
  RESULTS – The water intake and diuresis decreased in the treated rats; there was no significant difference in urinary pH between the groups. Urinary chemistry was apparently unaffected by the plant extract, except for the magnesium content, which was higher in treated rats. Crystalluria was characterized by the excretion of large CaOx monohydrate and dihydrate crystals in untreated, but smaller crystals in treated rats. The histology showed large deposits of CaOx crystals in all parts of the kidney in untreated rats but with almost no deposits in those of treated rats.
  CONCLUSION – H. Hirsuta has an impressive prophylactic effect on caox stones in nephrolithic rats; the effect did not seem to be mediated by biochemical or diuretic changes.

 

Quanto proposto è ad esclusivo scopo informativo e non sostituisce il medico a cui bisogna rivolgersi per i problemi relativi alla salute.