Mallorca kidney stone research enters US medical guide

Mallorca’s kidney stone research wins a place in US medical guidance: two substances patented by researchers at the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB) enter its recommendations for the first time. The American Urological Association names phytates and theobromine in its new guide to kidney stones. Speaking in Palma, Mallorca, on Thursday, 1 October, UIB researcher Félix Grases calls their inclusion unusual.

How the two substances work

Phytates occur naturally in plant foods. According to the university, they slow the formation of calcium salt crystals, a key step in the development of kidney stones. UIB researchers began studying phytates in the 1990s. Laboratory tests were followed by studies in rats and then people, with good results at each stage, according to Grases.

Theobromine occurs naturally in cocoa. The university says it can slow the formation of uric acid crystals, which cause uric acid stones. That research also began in the 1990s, but early results were not positive, researcher Antonia Acosta said. The team identified the cocoa compound in 2007 and went on to get more favourable results.

Why the US guide matters

The association’s guide helps specialists diagnose, treat and prevent kidney stones. Its recommendations have also influenced guidance used by other medical groups and care centres, Grases said.

For people dealing with kidney stones, the university sees a route for its prevention research to reach healthcare professionals and patients. The new recommendation recognises nearly three decades of work at the UIB on how the stones form and how to prevent them.

Topics: Health · Education · Palma

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com