Research in Medicine

Background and Aim: Urinary stones are polycrystalline aggregates composed of varying proportions of crystalloid materials and organic matrix. Overexpression of fibronectin and transforming growth factor- beta (TGF-β) genes contributes to stone formation. Artemisia sieberi, a plant from the Asteraceae family, possesses antibacterial, anti- inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. Given these pharmacological effects, this study aimed to investigate the preventive role of hydroalcoholic extract of Artemisia sieberi leaves on oxalate crystal formation and the expression of fibronectin and TGF-β genes in male rats.
Methods: A hydroalcoholic extract of Artemisia leaves was prepared using the Soxhlet method. Thirty male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to five groups (n = 6 per group): a healthy control, a negative control receiving ethylene glycol to induce urolithiasis, and three treatment groups receiving extract doses of 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg intraperitoneally for 30 days. On day 30, rats were sacrificed, and kidney tissues were collected. Total RNA was extracted, cDNA was synthesized, and the expression levels of fibronectin and TGF-β genes were analyzed. Data were analyzed using ANOVA and Tukey’s post hoc test in Minitab, with significance set at p < 0.05.
Results: The negative control group exhibited a significant increase in crystal deposition compared to the healthy control (p < 0.001). The 50 mg/kg treatment group showed a significant reduction in crystal number compared to the negative control (p < 0.001). Although crystal numbers were also reduced in the 100 and 200 mg/kg groups, the differences were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Additionally, fibronectin and TGF-β gene expression levels were significantly reduced in all treatment groups compared to the negative control (p = 0.000).
Conclusion: The hydroalcoholic extract of Artemisia sieberi appears to reduce calcium oxalate crystal accumulation and mitigate tubular and calyceal damage in the kidneys. These findings suggest its potential as a preventive agent for individuals at risk of oxalate kidney stone formation.