Bioinformatics Study and the Role of Medicinal Plants on UMOD Gene Expression to Prevent Kidney Stones and Infections

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Zabol University of Medical Sciences, Zabol, Iran

2 Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Amir al momenin Hospital, Zabol University of Medical Sciences, Zabol, Iran

3 Department of Nursing, Al-Nasiriyah Technical Institute, Southern Technical University, Dhi Qar, Iraq

4 Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran

5 Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Agriculture Institute, Research Institute of Zabol, Zabol, Iran

Abstract

Kidney stones, caused by mineral deposits, lead to severe pain and infections. Genetic factors, including the UMOD gene, influence stone formation, while medicinal plants like Silybum marianum and Zingiber officinale may offer protective effects. This study investigates how plant extracts modulate UMOD gene expression to prevent kidney stones and infections, exploring their therapeutic potential in renal health. For this purpose, 100 microliters of extracts of the medicinal plants Zingiber officinale, Silybum marianum, Alhagi, Urtica, and Brassica napus were used as samples, and the expression level of the UMOD gene was examined using the real-time PCR technique. Real-time PCR analysis revealed a significant increase in UMOD expression compared to the control, suggesting a protective role against kidney damage. Bioinformatics analysis used NCBI, ProtScale, UCSC, MBC, and OMIM databases. Bioinformatics analysis identified 23 miRNAs targeting UMOD, potentially influencing kidney disease progression. Additionally, 3D protein modeling confirmed UMOD's structural stability (GMQE = 0.83, 92.79% stability via Ramachandran plot). Network analysis highlighted UMOD's interaction with kidney stone-related genes, while domain analysis revealed functional ZP and EGF domains involved in infection resistance. Tissue-specific expression was highest in kidneys and liver, supporting its renal protective role. The results of this study provide a promising perspective, indicating that the medicinal plants examined possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. These properties help alleviate symptoms, prevent the reformation of kidney stones, and assist in expelling existing stones.

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Main Subjects

References

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Journal of Medicinal plants and By-products
Volume 15, Issue 2
January and February 2026
Pages 267-273

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