Evaluating Pharmacological Effects of Two Major Components of Shuangdan Oral Liquid: Role of Danshensu and Paeonol in Diabetic Nephropathy Rat

Abstract

Shuangdan oral liquid (SDO) containing radix Salviae miltiorrhizae (Chinese name Danshen) and cortex moutan (Chinese name Mudanpi) is a traditional Chinese medicine using for treating vascular diseases. Danshensu (DSS) is a main effective monomer composition derived from radix Salviae miltiorrhizae and paeonol (Pae) from cortex moutan. Although the two herbs are widely used in traditional Chinese medicine, the pharmacological functions of their active compositions were not reported. Therefore, the research of DSS and Pae in mechanisms and pharmacodynamics interaction can provide scientific evidence to support clinical application. The diabetic nephropathy (DN) rats which were induced by streptozotocin (STZ) were treated with SDO, DSS, Pae, and DSS+Pae for eight weeks. The positive effects on DN animal models were investigated by detection of physiological and biochemical indexes and oxidative stress markers, within five treatments: SDO, DSS, Pae, DSS+Pae and insulin group. Compared with the model group, the DSS+Pae group improved the renal function, blood lipid metabolism and blood viscosity, increased the vitality of T-SOD or T-AOC and decreased the level of MDA or NO after the treatment. The study was successfully showed that the DSS+Pae group could delay the process of DN, especially in the renal injury part of histopathology changes. Our results suggest that the co-administration of DSS and Pae significantly may play a protective role in DN rats through decreasing the oxidative stress and improving the blood lipid metabolism mechanisms.

Keywords: Blood lipid metabolism; Danshensu; Diabetic nephropathy; Histopathology; Oxidative stress; Paeonol.

Fig. 1.

Molecular structures of the investigated components: Chemical structures of Danshensu (A) and Paeonol (B).

Fig. 2.

Effects of DSS+Pae on T-SOD and T-AOC activity in DN rats. The levels of T-SOD (A) activity and T-AOC (B) activity were assessed in the blood (n=10 in the Control group, n=12 in the other groups). ^**p<0.01 and ^*p<0.05 compared with the corresponding Model group. ^δδp<0.01 and ^δp<0.05 compared with the insulin group. Results are given as mean ± SEM of three independent experiments.

Fig. 3.

Effects of DSS+Pae on MDA and NO contents in DN rats. The levels of MDA (A) content and NO (B) content were assessed in the blood (n=10 in the Control group, n=12 in the other groups). ^**p<0.01 and ^*p<0.05 compared with the corresponding Model group. Results are given as mean ± SEM of three independent experiments.

Fig. 4.

Histopathology changes of kidneys in DN rats after DSS+Pae treatment: (A) Control group; (B) Model group; (C) Insulin group; (D) Pae+DSS group; (E) Pae group; (F) DSS group. With Pae+DSS treatment, histopathology changes of kidneys was markedly improved in DN rats (original magnification, ×400).