Efficacy of Orthosiphon aristatus (Cat’s Whiskers) and an alpha-blocker for stone expulsion in patients with urinary tract calculi undergoing extra corporal shockwave lithotripsy

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of a herbal treatment, Orthosiphon aristatus (Cat’s Whiskers) and alpha blockers with regard to stone free and treatment success rates in patients with urinary tract calculi undergoing extra corporal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL). Materials and Methods: Data pertinent to 84 patients who underwent ESWL for treatment of KUB stones were prospectively analyzed. Patients were randomized into two groups: Group 1: patients received the medicinal herb Orthosiphon arista- tus post ESWL and Group 2: patients received an alpha-blocker (Doxazocin 2 mg) post ESWL. Both groups used the same medication throughout the 3-month period of the study. All patients were followed-up every 2 weeks after ESWL for 3 months with x-ray and blood tests and urine tests to evaluate results and complications. Results: The stone free rate was 47.6% in the medical herb Orthosiphon aristatus group and 45.2% in the alpha-blocker group. Treatment success rates were 69.0% in the Orthosiphon aristatus group and 54.8% for alpha-blockers group. The differences in stone free rate and treatment success rate were not statistically significantly different (p = 0.827, 0.261) and the rate of complications in the Orthosiphon aristatus group was not statistically significantly different from the other group (p = 1.000) Conclusion: Treatment with Orthosiphion aristatus medical expulsive therapy after ESWL give similar results of stone free rate as the group taking alpha-blockers. Both treatments are equally safe methods of medical expulsive therapy.