Chinese herbal medicine Shenqi Detoxification Granule inhibits fibrosis in adenine induced chronic renal failure rats

Abstract

Background: Progressive fibrosis accompanies all chronic renal disease, connective tissue growth factor (CTGF,) and platelet-derived growth factor-B, (PDGF-B,) play important roles in extra-cellular matrix abnormal accumulation, while endothelin-1 (ET-1) nitric oxide (NO,) are related to endothelial dysfunction, which mediates the progression of renal fibrosis. Shenqi Detoxification Granule (SDG), a traditional Chinese herbal formula, has been used for treatment of chronic renal failure in clinic for many years.

Materials and methods: In order to evaluate the efficacy, and explore the mechanism of SDG to inhibit the progression of renal fibrosis, study was carried out using the adenine-induced Wister rats as the CRF model, and losartan as postive control drug. Levels of serum creatinine [Scr], and blood urea nitrogen (BUN), albumin (ALB), 24hrs, urine protein (24hUP), triacylglycerol (TG), and cholesterol (CHO), together with ET-1, and NO were detected. Pathological changes of renal tissues were observed by HE, staining. In addition, CTGF and PDGF-B expression were analyzed by immuno-histo-chemistry.

Results: The results indicated that SDG can effectively reduce Scr, BUN, 24hUP, TG, and CHO levels, increase ALB levels, inhibit renal tissue damage in CRF rats, and the mechanism maybe reduce PDGF-B, CTGF expression and ET-1/NO.

Conclusion: Shenqi Detoxification Granule is a beneficial treatment for chronic renal failure.

Keywords: CTGF; Chronic Renal Failure; PDGF-B; Shenqi Detoxification Granule; fibrosis.

Figure 1

BUN, and Scr levels of rats in normal group, and model groups after 4-wk adenine feeding. Data are expressed as mean ±S.D.*P<0.05, vs normal group.

Figure 2

BUN levels of rats in different groups before and after drug therapy. Data are expressed as mean ±S.D.*P<0.05, vs NG; ^ΔP<0.05, vs MG ; ^▴P<0.05, vs before.

Figure 3

Scr levels of rats in different groups before and after drug therapy. Data are expressed as mean ±S.D.*P<0.05, vs NG; ^ΔP<0.05, vs MG ; ^▴P<0.05, vs before.

Figure 4

ALB levels of rats in different groups after therapy. Data are expressed as mean ±S.D.*P<0.05, vs NG; ^ΔP<0.05, vs MG.

Figure 5

24UP levels of rats in different groups after therapy. Data are expressed as mean ±S.D.*P<0.05, vs NG; ^ΔP<0.05, vs MG.

Figure 6

TG and CHO levels of rats in different groups after therapy. Data are expressed as mean ±S.D.*P<0.05, vs NG; ^ΔP<0.05, vs MG.

Figure 7

Rat kidney tissue pathology (HE ×200) results.

Figure 8

Grey-scale levels of CTGF protein expression in renal tissues of rats in different groups after therapy. Data are expressed as mean ±S.D.*P<0.05, vs NG; ^ΔP<0.05, vs MG.

Figure 9

CTGF, protein expressions (×200) in renal tissues of rats in different groups after therapy. NG: weakly positive expression in renal tubular; MG: strong expression of renal tubular, less strong positive expression in interstitial; LG: expression was increased in tubular and interstitial than SG, SG: positive expression in tubular and interstitial was significantly weakened, weakly positive expression.

Figure 10

Grey-scale levels of PDGF-B protein expressions in renal tissues of rats in different groups after therapy. Data are expressed as mean ±S.D.*P<0.05, vs NG; ^ΔP<0.05, vs MG.

Figure 11

PDGF-B protein expressions (×200) in renal tissues of rats in different groups after therapy. NG: weakly positive expression in renal tubular; MG: strong expression of renal tubular, weak expression in interstitial; LG: positive expression was stronger in tubular and interstitial than SG, SG: positive expression in tubular was significantly weakened, weakly positive expression.

Figure 12

ET-1 levels of rats in different groups after therapy. Data are expressed as mean ±S.D.*P<0.05, vs NG; ^ΔP<0.05, vs MG.

Figure 13

NO levels of rats in different groups after therapy Data are expressed as mean ±S.D.*P<0.05, vs NG; ^ΔP<0.05, vs MG.