Crystal growth inhibitors in human urine. Effect on calcium oxalate kinetics.

The nucleation and growth of oxalate trihydrate from supersaturated solutions containing a high molecular weight inhibitor fraction found in urine were sharply reduced to the extend that calcium oxalate dihydrate was formed. The kinetics of the later hydrate were found to be reduced with increasing inhibitor concentration. The effect of the negatively charged urine inhibitor on crystal growth of calcium oxalate was found to correlate with inhibition found in studies involving high molecular weight mucopolysaccharides such as heparin.