The aim of this study was to determine the inhibition effects of the terpenoid of Plantago major on calcium oxalate crystals in vitro and to compare the effects of Plantago major with clinically used drugs like zyloric and potassium citrate for the treatment of urinary stone. Modified Schneider slide gel method was used for in vitro study and crystals formed were measured by Image Analyser System (Leica) after 24 h of treatment. The active compound in the methanol extract of Plantago major was isolated by bioassay - guided fractionation & isolation method. Dimethylsulphoxide (DMSO) was used as the negative control and zyloric and potassium citrate were used as positive controls. The results showed that crude methanol extract of Plantago major contained the active compound terpenoid. Terpenoid, zyloric and potassium citrate at concentrations in the range of (100 ?g/mL - 250 ?g/mL) signifcantly inhibited the area of crystal formation in comparison to the negative control after 24 h (p<0.001). The Zyloric and terpenoid of Plantago major in the concentrations of (100 ?g/mL-250 ?g/mL) inhibited the sizes of crystals signifcantly (p<0.05). Potassium citrate was more effective, than terpenoid of Plantago major in inhibiting the size of crystals at two concentrations i.e. 100 ?g/mL and 150 ?g/mL respectively (p<0.05). However the IC 50 values for terpenoid of Plantago major, potassium citrate and zyloric were 250 ?g/mL, 300 ?g/mL and 550 ?g/mL, respectively. The inhibition effect of the terpenoid of Plantago major extract on crystal size was much better than Zyloric and potassium citrate.

Plantago major L. leaves have been used as a wound healing remedy for centuries in the treatment of a number of diseases. The objective of this study is to analyse the chemical composition in the leaf extract of P. major. The chemical composition of various extract (petroleum ether, methanol, ethyl acetate, n-butanol and aqueous) from leaf of Plantago major have been examined by Triple Quadrupole GC-MS. Results have showed the main constituents in petroleum ether extract were phytol 13.22%, benzofuranone 10.48%, penthynediol 10.26% and benzene propanoic acid 10.18%; methanol extract were group of diglycerol 30.31% and glycol 18.91%; ethyl acetate extract were glycerine 30.70%, benzene 21.81% and dibuthyl phthalate 16.22%; n-butanol were phtalic acid 24.62%, benzene propanoic acid 16.83% and group of phenol 10.20%; and aqueous extract were phenol 27.47%, diathiapentene 14.53%, napthalenone 14.13% and glycerine 12.02%. Chemical composition identified in all five extracts has showed that all of them have phenol's group in their extract while having different variation of organic acid groups, flavonoids and terpenoids. These data would be constructive for future ethno-pharmacological studies in P.major. � IDOSI Publications, 2012.