Evaluation of Orthosiphon stamineus and cornsilk (Zea mays L.) for the prevention of urinary calculi in growing goats.

The study was aimed at evaluating Orthosiphon stamineus and cornsilk (Zea mays L.) as an anti-urinary calculi agents in growing goats. A survey was initially carried out to explore the feeding practices and the rate of severity of urinary calculi in goats raised by selected smallholders in Kelantan, Malaysia. Samples of both herbal plants were collected and analysed for proximate analysis and determination of diuretic active compounds. Three groups of four growing male Boer goats were used in a 30 days feeding trial to determine nutrient digestibility and nutrient balance associated with O. stamineus and cornsilk supplementation at the rate of 0.5 g/kg BW/day; (BW: 20.3kg). The animals were fed with a formulated diet (containing 15% CP and 12MJ ME/kg), specifically to induce urinary calculi. Two phases of digestibility and balance trials were carried i.e. from day 11 to day 15 (before supplementation) and from day 26 to day 30 (after supplementation). The results from the survey revealed that the prevalence rate was 40% and mostly caused by high concentrate feeding. The content of DM, CP, EE, CF, ash and GE for O. stamineus were 58.2%, 11.7%, 1.5%, 12.4%, 10.0% and 4206 cal/g respectively, while the respective values for cornsilk were 14.7%, 11.4%, 1.5%, 21.3%, 8.1% and 3930 cal/g. The concentration of Ca, P, Mg, Na, K, Cu and Fe in O. stamineus were 2.1%, 0.4%, 1.1%, 0.02%, 1.9%, 17.5ppm and 268.2ppm respectively, while the values for cornsilk were 0.07%, 0.3%, 0.6%, 0.01%, 1.3%, 4.9ppm and 91.9ppm respectively. Phytol, cholestan-3-ol, 2-methylene-, (3à,5à)-, 9,10-Secocholesta-5,7,10(19)-triene-3,24,25-triol, (3à,5Z,7E)-, (-)-spathulenol, ethyl-iso-allocholate and androstan-17-one, 3-ethyl-3-hydroxy-, (5à)- were the main diuretic active compounds detected in O. stamineus, while hexadecanoic acid, 1-(hydroxymethyl)-1,2-ethanediyl ester, lup-20(29)-en-3-ol, acetate, (3à)- and hentriacontane <n-> were detected in cornsilk. Urinary pH of the O. stamineus and cornsilk groups of animals were 7.8 and 8.0 respectively as compared to 8.3 in the control group. Digestibility of DM and CF of O. stamineus supplemented animals were significantly increased by 13.7% and 95.6% after 15 days of supplementation. Balance of DM, CP, EE, CF and ash were significantly decreased by 24.8%, 40.2%, 43.7%, 42.0% and 42.2% respectively. Mg digestibility in O. stamineus and cornsilk supplemented animals were significantly decreased by 69.7% and 94.3% respectively after the supplementation. Both herbal plants have potential to be utilized for the control of urinary calculi in ruminant.