ACEI, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor; ADE, adverse event; AGEs, advanced glycation end-products; AM, mesangial area; AMPKα, adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase α; ARB, angiotensin receptor blocker; AREs, antioxidant response elements; ATK, protein kinase B; BAX, BCL-2-associated X protein; BCL-2, B-cell lymphoma 2; BCL-XL, B-cell lymphoma-extra large; BMP-7, bone morphogenetic protein-7; BUN, blood urea nitrogen; BW, body weight; C, control group; CCR, creatinine clearance rate; CD2AP, CD2-associated protein; CHOP, C/EBP homologous protein; CI, confidence interval; COL-I/IV, collagen I/IV; CRP, C-reactive protein; CTGF, connective tissue growth factor; Chinese medicine; D, duration; DAG, diacylglycerol; DG, glomerular diameter; DKD, diabetic kidney disease; DM, diabetes mellitus; DN, diabetic nephropathy; Diabetic kidney disease; Diabetic nephropathy; EMT, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition; EP, E-prostanoid receptor; ER, endoplasmic reticulum; ESRD, end-stage renal disease; ET-1, endothelin-1; ETAR, endothelium A receptor; FBG, fasting blood glucose; FN, fibronectin; GCK, glucokinase; GCLC, glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit; GFR, glomerular filtration rate; GLUT4, glucose transporter type 4; GPX, glutathione peroxidase; GRB 10, growth factor receptor-bound protein 10; GRP78, glucose-regulated protein 78; GSK-3, glycogen synthase kinase 3; Gαq, Gq protein alpha subunit; HDL-C, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol; HO-1, heme oxygenase-1; HbA1c, glycosylated hemoglobin; Herbal medicine; ICAM-1, intercellular adhesion molecule-1; IGF-1, insulin-like growth factor 1; IGF-1R, insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor; IKK-ß, IκB kinase ß; IL-1ß/6, interleukin 1ß/6; IR, insulin receptor; IRE-1α, inositol-requiring enzyme-1α; IRS, insulin receptor substrate; IκB-α, inhibitory protein α; JAK, Janus kinase; JNK, c-Jun N-terminal kinase; LC3, microtubule-associated protein light chain 3; LDL, low-density lipoprotein; LDL-C, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol; LOX1, lectin-like oxidized LDL receptor 1; MAPK, mitogen-activated protein kinase; MCP-1, monocyte chemotactic protein-1; MD, mean difference; MDA, malondialdehyde; MMP-2, matrix metallopeptidase 2; MYD88, myeloid differentiation primary response 88; Molecular target; N/A, not applicable; N/O, not observed; N/R, not reported; NF-κB, nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells; NOX-4, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-oxidase-4; NQO1, NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1; NRF2, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2; OCP, oxidative carbonyl protein; ORP150, 150-kDa oxygen-regulated protein; P70S6K, 70-kDa ribosomal protein S6 kinase; PAI-1, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1; PARP, poly(ADP-Ribose) polymerase; PBG, postprandial blood glucose; PERK, protein kinase RNA-like eukaryotic initiation factor 2A kinase; PGC-1α, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1α; PGE2, prostaglandin E2; PI3K, phosphatidylinositol 3 kinases; PINK1, PTEN-induced putative kinase 1; PKC, protein kinase C; PTEN, phosphatase and tensin homolog; RAGE, receptors of AGE; RASI, renin-angiotensin system inhibitor; RCT, randomized clinical trial; ROS, reactive oxygen species; SCr, serum creatinine; SD, standard deviation; SD-rat, Sprague­Dawley rat; SIRT1, sirtuin 1; SMAD, small mothers against decapentaplegic; SMD, standard mean difference; SMURF-2, SMAD ubiquitination regulatory factor 2; SOCS, suppressor of cytokine signaling proteins; SOD, superoxide dismutase; STAT, signal transducers and activators of transcription; STZ, streptozotocin; Signaling pathway; T, treatment group; TBARS, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance; TC, total cholesterol; TCM, traditional Chinese medicine; TFEB, transcription factor EB; TG, triglyceride; TGBM, thickness of glomerular basement membrane; TGF-ß, tumor growth factor ß; TGFßR-I/II, TGF-ß receptor I/II; TII, tubulointerstitial injury index; TLR-2/4, toll-like receptor 2/4; TNF-α, tumor necrosis factor α; TRAF5, tumor-necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 5; UACR, urinary albumin to creatinine ratio; UAER, urinary albumin excretion rate; UMA, urinary microalbumin; UP, urinary protein; VCAM-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1; VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor; WMD, weight mean difference; XBP-1, spliced X box-binding protein 1; cAMP, cyclic adenosine monophosphate; eGFR, estimated GFR; eIF2α, eukaryotic initiation factor 2α; mTOR, mammalian target of rapamycin; p-IRS1, phospho-IRS1; p62, sequestosome 1 protein; α-SMA, α smooth muscle actin