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In vitro Inhibition of Struvite Crystal Growth by Acetohydroxamic Acid
Author(s) -
DOWNEY J. A.,
NICKEL J. C.,
CLAPHAM L.,
McLEAN R. J. C.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
british journal of urology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.773
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1464-410X
pISSN - 0007-1331
DOI - 10.1111/j.1464-410x.1992.tb15787.x
Subject(s) - acetohydroxamic acid , struvite , urease , crystal habit , proteus mirabilis , crystal (programming language) , chemistry , crystallization , crystallography , nuclear chemistry , biochemistry , enzyme , phosphate , programming language , organic chemistry , escherichia coli , computer science , gene
Summary— Struvite (MgNH 4 PO 4 6H 2 O) crystals were produced by Proteus mirabilis growth in artificial urine, in the presence and absence of the urease inhibitor, acetohydroxamic acid (AHA). In the absence of AHA, struvite crystals assumed an “X‐shaped”or dendritic crystal habit due to rapid growth along their 100 axis. When AHA was present, crystal growth, as monitored by phase contrast light microscopy, was greatly slowed, and the crystals assumed an octahedral crystal habit. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that crystals grown in the presence of AHA were pitted on their surface. This pitting was absent in control samples. While most of this inhibition by AHA was due to lowered urease activity, some crystal growth inhibition occurred in struvite produced in the absence of urease activity through NH 4 OH titration of artificial urine. We conclude that while AHA is primarily a urease inhibitor, it may also disrupt struvite growth and formation directly through interference with the molecular growth processes on crystal surfaces.