High-resolution chemical characterization and bioactivity assessment of Solanum cernuum infusion

Solanum cernuum Vell. (Solanaceae), popularly known in Brazil as "panacéia", is widely employed in folk medicine to treat renal and urinary tract disorders. However, despite its ethnopharmacological relevance, the scientific basis for its anti-urolithiatic activity has yet to be established. The present study aims to validate the ethnopharmacological use of S. cernuum by investigating its anti-urolithiatic activity associated with its potential to modulate the inflammatory response. Additionally, a chemical characterization of the infusion was performed. The aqueous leaf infusion was prepared according to traditional use. Anti-urolithiatic activity was assessed in an in vitro human urine model to evaluate calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystal dissolution. Anti-inflammatory potential was investigated via an ex vivo human blood assay stimulated with LPS and calcium ionophore, followed by the assessment of PGE and LTB mediators. The chemical profiling was performed via high-resolution UHPLC-ESI-HRMS in positive ionization mode using a Data-Independent Acquisition (DIA) strategy. The infusion significantly reduced CaOx crystal counts in a dose-dependent manner, reaching an 86.6% reduction at the highest concentration tested (p ≤ 0.05), with efficacy comparable to positive controls. Furthermore, it inhibited the production of PGE (74.8%) and LTB (39.8%), suggesting a dual inhibition of the COX and LOX pathways, showing a more pronounced effect on the COX pathway. Chemical profiling via high-resolution UHPLC-ESI-HRMS led to the annotation of 18 metabolites (level 2, MSI), primarily O-glycosylated flavonoids and other bioactive classes. These findings provide scientific support for the traditional use of S. cernuum in renal disorders. The dual modulation of inflammatory mediators, combined with high crystal dissolution capacity, indicates that the infusion holds promising potential as a complementary resource for the management of urolithiasis and constitutes a valuable source of bioactive phytochemicals. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2026 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.]