Studies on antinephritic effect of TJ-8014, a new Japanese herbal medicine (3): Effects on crescentic-type anti-GBM nephritis in rats

Abstract

We investigated the antinephritic effects of TJ-8014, in comparison to dipyridamole, on crescentic-type anti-GBM nephritis in rats. When administration of test drugs was started from the heterologous phase (from the day after the anti-GBM serum injection), TJ-8014 at 2.0 g/kg/day, p.o., markedly inhibited the urinary protein excretion and elevations of plasma cholesterol and urea nitrogen levels as well as glomerular histopathological changes (i.e., crescent formation, adhesion and fibrinoid necrosis) throughout the 40-day observation period. TJ-8014 at 0.1 and 0.5 g/kg/day, p.o., and dipyridamole at 0.4 g/day, p.o., inhibited only the histopathological changes. When treatment was started from the autologous phase (from the 22nd day after the anti-GBM serum injection) after the disease had been established, only the high dose of 5.0 g/kg/day of TJ-8014, p.o., was effective in improving the histopathological changes of the established nephritis, as assessed on the 53rd day. The low doses of TJ-8014 and dipyridamole were ineffective. These results suggest that TJ-8014 may be a useful Japanese herbal medicine against rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis, which is characterized by severe glomerular lesions with the extensive formation of crescents. Furthermore, the mechanisms of action of this medicine will be discussed.