The german drugs Rowatinex, Uralyt and Ciprolyt are used to dissolve renal stones. What do they con

Fråga: The german drugs Rowatinex, Uralyt and Ciprolyt are used to dissolve renal stones. What do they contain? Mechanism of action? Are there any similar drugs available in Sweden?

Sammanfattning: Rowatinex is a mixture of oils with an unclear mechanism of action, whereas the citrate components of Uralyt U (especially potassium citrate), have been claimed to decrease the formation of renal stones, although the clinical efficacy of this preparation has not been demonstrated by controlled clinical trials. There are no similar drugs available in Sweden.

Svar: Rowatinex, manufactured by Rowa-Wagner, is a mixture of oils consisting 24.8 per cent alpha-pinene, 6.2 per cent beta-pinene, 15 per cent camphene, 10 per cent borneol, 4 per cent anethole, 4 per cent (+)-fenchone and 3 per cent cineole (eucalyptol) (1). A randomized, double blind study was carried out on forty patients with acute renal colic in order to evaluate the efficacy of Rowatinex in the treatment of patients with ureteric stones. In the Rowatinex-treated patients, there was a significantly higher rate of expulsion of stones compared to the placebo group (2). The mechanism of this effect, however, was not discussed.

Uralyt U, manufactured by Madaus, is a mixture of 46.3 per cent potassium citrate, 39 per cent sodium citrate and 14.5 per cent citric acid (3). Oral potassium citrate raises urinary citrate concentration in a direct dose-dependent fashion (4), as well as increasing urinary pH. Citrate complexes with calcium, decreasing the concentration of calcium oxalate and the tendency to form calcium oxalate stones. The higher urinary pH increases ionization of uric acid, decreasing formation of uric acid stones (5,6).

Both drugs may be purchased without prescription in Switzerland and Federal Republic of Germany.

No information was found regarding Ciprolyt.