Effects of Shenkangwan on renal expressions of angiotensin II and its type I receptor in rats with early diabetic nephropathy / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of Shenkangwan on the expressions of angiotensin II (AngII) and its type I receptor (AT(1)R) and the renalprotection mechanism of Shenkangwan in rats with early diabetic nephropathy (DN).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The rat models of DN established by a single injection of streptozotocin were randomly divided into 4 groups, namely the model group, Shenkangwan treatment group, irbesartan treatment group, and Shenkangwan and irbesartan treatment group, with normal rats as the control. All the rats received daily gavage for 8 weeks. The urinary protein quality in 24 h and plasma and renal contents of AngII were measured. The expressions of AT1R at the protein and mRNA levels in the kidney tissues were measured by immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, respectively. The pathological changes of the kidney were observed microscopically.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In DN rats, Shenkangwan reduced the urinary protein quantity in 24 h and the contents of AngII in the plasma and kidney tissues, decreased the renal expressions of AT(1)R protein and mRNA, and alleviated the morphological damage of the kidney.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Shenkangwan offers renalprotection against DN probably by reducing the contents of AngII in the plasma and kidney tissues and inhibiting renal AT(1)R expressions.</p>

Effects of alpha-keto acid on the expression of neuropeptide Y in malnutrition rats with chronic renal failure / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of alpha-keto acid on the expression of neuropeptide Y in malnutrition rats with chronic renal failure.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>SD rats received 5/6 nephrectomy and were fed with 4% casein to establish models of malnutrition with chronic renal failure. Serum albumin, urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, type-1 insulin like growth factor and body weight of the rats were measured. The rat models were randomized into chronic renal failure group, alpha-keto acid group and normal control group, and after a 4-week treatment as indicated, neuropeptide Y mRNA levels in the hypothalamus were measured by RT-PCR in rats with surgically induced renal failure (two-stage subtotal nephrectomy). The blood neuropeptide Y of the rats were analyzed by radioimmunoassay.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Malnutrition occurred in chronic renal failure rats at the end of 10 weeks. Compared with those in the chronic renal failure group, the plasma neuropeptide Y concentrations in alpha-keto acid group were significantly lowered with substantially elevated neuropeptide Y mRNA expression in the hypothalamus.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>alpha-keto acid capsule can improve malnutrition in rats with renal insufficiency possibly by up-regulating neuropeptide Y mRNA expression in the hypothalamus and reducing the level of blood neuropeptide Y.</p>

Protective effects of Shenkangwan against podocyte injury in rats with early diabetic nephropathy / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the morphological changes and expressions of desmin and podocin in podocytes of rats with diabetic nephropathy (DN) rats and renal protection mechanism of Shenkangwan.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>DN model was established in rats by a single injection of streptozotocin. The rats were then randomly divided into model group, Shenkangwan treatment group, irbesartan treatment group, and Shenkangwan plus irbesartan treatment group, with normal rats as the control group. All the rats received daily gavage for 8 weeks. The urinary protein quantity in 24 h were detected, and the morphological changes of the kidneys were observed with optic and transmission electron microscopes. The expressions of desmin and podocin in the podocytes were detected by immunohistochemistry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Shenkangwan and irbesartan reduced the urinary protein quantity in 24 h and alleviated the renal damage in DN rats, and the expression of desmin was significantly attenuated while podocin expression increased in the podocytes.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Shenkangwan can provide renal protection against DN in rats and alleviate the structural and functional damages of podocytes possibly by reducing desmin expression and increasing podocin expression in the podocytes.</p>

Renal protective effect of Shenkang pill on diabetic rats / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of Shenkang pill on renal function and extracellular matrix secretion on the diabetic rats.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The diabetic rat models were induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) and randomly divided into 3 groups' model control group; Capoten group and Shenkangwan group. Some normal other rats were used as normal control group. All rats were treated with corresponding drugs for 8 weeks. During and after the treatment, the general state, blood and urine glucose levels, excretion rate of the 24 hour urine protein and albumin, serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen contents, kidney weight and relative kidney weight were measured. The mRNA of fibronectin(FN) in the kidney also detected by semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR).</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Diabetes mellitus and renal lesions occurred in the three model groups. The expression of FN mRNA of the kidney in diabetic rats increased obviously. Shenkang pill could improve the general state and renal function of the diabetic rats, decrease the blood glucose levels and the excretion rate of the 24 hour urine protein and albumin, reduce the expression of FN mRNA in kidney.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Shenkang pill has a certain protective effect on the diabetic kidney.</p>

Effect of Shenkangwan on mesangial cell NO and TGF-beta1 excretion in rats with early diabetic nephropathy / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the mechanism of Shenkangwan (SKW) in treating early diabetic nephropathy (DN).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The effect of SKW on NO and transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta(1) production by the mesangial cells (MCs) of rats with early diabetic nephropathy was evaluated with serum pharmacological method.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with normal serum, the SKW-containing serum dose- and time-dependently inhibited TGF-beta(1) excretion and increased NO production in the MCs of rats with early DN (P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The therapeutic effect of SKW on early DN may rely on the balance modulation of cytokine network by increasing NO production and decreasing TGF-beta(1) excretion to prevent cytokine-induced damage of the MCs.</p>