Iran Unveils First Locally Developed Drug for Preventing Kidney Stones in Children
WANA (Sep 03) – Iran has unveiled its first locally developed drug specifically designed to prevent kidney stone formation in children, named “Citrolizka,” at Shahid Labbafinejad Hospital, affiliated with Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. The product is intended to standardize treatment and improve children’s acceptance of the medication.
The drug was unveiled at a ceremony attended by Mohammad Esmaeil Gheidari, president of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences; Shahin Akhondzadeh, deputy minister of health for research and technology; and a number of medical professors and specialists at Shahid Labbafinejad Hospital.
Abbas Basiri, head of the Research Center for Kidney and Urinary Tract Diseases at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, said the drug contains citric acid and potassium citrate as its main active ingredients. These compounds alter the urinary environment, preventing crystals that could otherwise accumulate and develop into kidney stones from sticking together and growing.
According to Basiri, the same combination had previously been prepared by pharmacies as a compounded, handmade formulation, but the lack of standardized production procedures was one of its main shortcomings. Differences in how the drug was prepared at different pharmacies, combined with the significant impact of human handling, meant that its effectiveness in practice did not always meet expectations.
Basiri also identified the unpleasant taste of the earlier formulations as another major challenge, particularly for children. He noted that children are more sensitive to the taste of medication and are generally less cooperative with treatment, making a more acceptable formulation particularly important.
The head of the Research Center for Kidney and Urinary Tract Diseases added that the storage and transportation of the previous formulations were also difficult for families, as the drug could change color under certain conditions and had to be kept in specific environments.
Basiri said a tablet formulation known as “Urocitra” had previously been available on the Iranian market for adults, while “Citrolizka” has been developed specifically for children with a different formulation and dosage form.
The new product is produced as a powder packaged in sachets. According to its developers, special additives have been used to improve its taste. Studies have reportedly shown that the new formulation is more pleasant and easier for patients to tolerate.
Basiri said “Citrolizka” is intended to prevent the formation of stones in the kidneys and gallbladder and could help address some of the challenges associated with the preparation and use of similar compounded formulations.
He described the product as the first of its kind to be produced in Iran, adding that the number of companies producing similar medicines worldwide is also limited. According to Basiri, only one or two companies had been active in this field, and access to their products in Iran has largely been discontinued.
The head of the Research Center for Kidney and Urinary Tract Diseases emphasized that the drug works through a specific mechanism in the body, with its primary purpose being to prevent the conditions that lead to the formation and growth of stone-forming crystals in the urinary tract.
Iran Unveils First Locally Developed Drug for Preventing Kidney Stones in Children
