The Medicine-Food Homology Fruit Gouqi ( Lycium barbarum L.) Mitigates Kidney Stone via Multiple Bioactivities

Abstract

Background/Objectives Lycium barbarum L. (Gouqi, GQ) is a prominent component of traditional Chinese medicine with well-established medicine-food homology properties. Owing to its high nutritional profile, GQ is widely recognized for its diverse pharmacological benefits, including protective effects on the kidney. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the anti-urolithiatic activity of GQ aqueous extract and to elucidate its underlying therapeutic mechanisms in the context of calcium oxalate (CaOx) nephrolithiasis (Kidney stone). Methods The anti-kidney stone activity of the GQ extract was assessed in a Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly) model of CaOx kidney stones induced by dietary sodium oxalate (NaOx). Oxidative stress levels were quantified via dihydroethidium (DHE) staining. The expression profiles of key enzymes involved in endogenous oxalate synthesis—namely, agxt (the ortholog of human alanine-glyoxylate transaminase, AGT) and daao1/daao2 (encoding two D-amino acid oxidases, DAOs)—were analyzed using RT-qPCR technology. Excretory function was evaluated by counting fly fecal deposits. In vitro crystallization assays were performed to examine evolution of CaOx crystal morphology and explore the regulatory activity of the GQ extract during crystal formation. Results Our results demonstrated that the GQ extract effectively attenuated CaOx kidney stone formation through multiple interconnected mechanisms. Specifically, GQ extract mitigated NaOx-induced oxidative stress, improved urinary excretion, reduced endogenous oxalate biosynthesis, and directly altered the morphological dynamics of CaOx crystallization. Conclusions These findings substantiate the significant stone-preventive potential of GQ, whose therapeutic effects are mediated via a pleiotropic mode of action. Collectively, our data suggest that GQ may serve as a valuable dietary supplement or potential therapeutic agent for the prevention and management of CaOx kidney stones.