ABSTRACT
Objective To observe the effect of Allicin on renal tissue fibrosis in chronic renal failure (CRF) and to study the protective mechanism of Allicin on CRF rats. Methods The CRF rat models were established by intragastric administration of adenine solution (250 mg/kg) for 21 days. After successful modeling, 80 model rats were randomly divided into the normal control group, the model group and the allicin low, medium and high dose groups using a random number table method (n=20). Allicin low-, medium-, and high-dose groups were intragastrically administered with 2.5, 5, and 10 mg/ml of allicin respectively. The model group and normal control group were given an equal volume of normal saline, and were administered at 2 ml/kg body weight of the rats, with once a day continuous administration for 28 d. Two hours after the last dose, the kidney mass was measured and the kidney index was calculated. The pathological changes of renal tissue was observed by HE staining; the serum BUN, SCr, uric acid, and 24-hour urinary protein levels were measured by a biochemical analyzer; the levels of CRP, IL-6 and TNF-α in serum and the levels of ollagen type Ⅳ(CⅣ), type Ⅲ procollagen (PCⅢ), laminin (LN), Fibronectin (FN) in plasma were by ELISA; the expression of collagen type Ⅰ (Col Ⅰ), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and MMP-1 were observed by mmunohistochemical staining. Results Compared with model group, the bodyweight of rats in allicin medium, high dose groups were increased and kidney index decreased (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01), kidney histopathology scores decreased (P＜0.01). Compared with model group, the level of BUN (14.51 ± 2.76 mmol/L, 11.48 ± 2.43 mmol/L vs. 24.07 ± 3.82 mmol/L), SCr (116.28 ± 27.35 μmol/L, 106.57 ± 24.18 μmol/L vs. 134.89 ± 35.02 μmol/L), Uric acid (83.34 ± 16.42 mmol/L, 77.86 ± 13.97 mmol/L vs. 114.76 ± 16.53 mmol/L), 24 h urinary protein (152.79 ± 48.43 mg, 137.03 ± 42.61 mg vs. 177.94 ± 96.47 mg), CRP (8.79 ± 1.84 mg/L, 7.51 ± 1.69 mg/L vs. 11.64 ± 1.95 mg/L), TNF-α (184.37 ± 24.15 ng/L, 126.82 ± 12.96 ng/L vs. 255.87 ± 31.93 ng/L) in the allicin medium and high dose groups were significantly decreased (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01); the levels of C-Ⅳ (40.26 ± 7.12 ng/ml, 23.79 ± 4.25 ng/ml vs. 67.53 ± 8.39 ng/ml), PC-Ⅲ (32.03 ± 5.89 ng/ml, 24.31 ± 5.84 ng/ml vs. 54.20 ± 7.08 ng/ml), LN (99.05 ± 38.17 ng/ml, 83.42 ± 28.83 ng/ml vs. 117.83 ± 35.76 ng/ml) in plasma in the allicin medium and high dose groups were significantly decreased and the level of FN (98.58 ± 21.43 mg/L, 125.96 ± 25.12 mg/L vs. 66.72 ± 13.09 mg/L) in plasma in the allicin medium and high dose groups were significantly increased (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01); the expression of Col Ⅰ (0.17 ± 0.03, 0.09 ± 0.03 vs. 0.27 ± 0.05), PAI-1 (0.20 ± 0.05, 0.16 ± 0.04 vs. 0.31 ± 0.08) were down-regulated and the expression of MMP-1 (0.10 ± 0.03, 0.22 ± 0.05 vs. 0.04 ± 0.02) were up-regulated (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01). Conclusion Allicin has protective effects on CRF rats by inhibiting the renal tissue fibrosis and alleviating inflammation.