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Oxalate

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Clinical Nephrotoxins

Oxalic acid (chemical formula of this dicarboxylate HOOC-COOH) is a strong organic acid, widely spread in both plants and animals. The name comes from the Oxalis plant (wood sorrel) from which it was first isolated.

Oxalic acid has the ability to form strong bonds with various minerals, such as sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium. When this occurs, the compounds formed are usually referred to as oxalate salts. Thus, “oxalate” usually refers to the salt forming ion of oxalic acid. Although both sodium and potassium oxalate salts are water soluble, calcium oxalate is practically insoluble (8.76x10−8 mol/L at 37°.C in a urine like solution [1]) which is why calcium oxalate, when present in high enough levels, has the propensity to precipitate (or solidify) in the kidneys or in the urinary tract to form calcium oxalate crystals. Calcium oxalate crystals, in turn, contribute to the formation of kidney stones of which approximately 75% are composed predominantly of calcium oxalate.

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Authors
  1. Anja Verhulst
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  2. Marc E. De Broe
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Pathophysiology Universiteitsplein 1, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, B-2610, Belgium

    Marc E. De Broe

  2. Division of Nephrology, Hypertension and Clinical Pharmacology, Oregon Health Sciences University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR, 97201, USA

    George A. Porter

  3. Legacy Good Samaritan Hospital, 1015 NW 22nd Avenue, W004, Portland, OR, 97201, USA

    William M. Bennett

  4. Groupe Hôspitalier Pitié Salpétrière Service De Néphrologie 83, Boulevard de l′Hôpital, Paris, F-75013, France

    Gilbert Deray

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Verhulst, A., De Broe, M.E. (2008). Oxalate. In: De Broe, M.E., Porter, G.A., Bennett, W.M., Deray, G. (eds) Clinical Nephrotoxins. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-84843-3_32

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