The protective effect of Salvia miltiorrhiza in an animal model of early experimentally induced diabetic nephropathy.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is the most common cause of end stage renal disease. In this study, the effects of Salvia miltiorrhiza (SM) were studied in an experimental rat model of DN that was induced by streptozotocin (STZ) treatment. Diabetes was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats (290 ± 10 g) by injecting STZ (45 mg/kg) into the tail vein. After development of diabetes, the rats were treated with SM (500 mg/kg) for 8 weeks in order to analyze its renoprotective effect, which was evaluated by means of blood glucose level, urine protein, and the expression of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), receptor of advanced glycation end-products (RAGE), transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1), collagen IV, and monocyte/macrophage (ED-1) infiltration. High levels of 24-h urinary protein excretion were ameliorated by SM. Moreover, the serum and kidney levels of transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) and the kidney levels of collagen IV, monocytes/macrophages (ED-1) and the receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE), were significantly reduced. These findings suggest that SM might inhibit the progression of DN and could be a therapeutic agent for regulating several pharmacological targets for treatment or prevention of DN.

Lee SH ，Kim YS ，Lee SJ ，Lee BC ... -  《-》

The anti-inflammation effect of Moutan Cortex on advanced glycation end products-induced rat mesangial cells dysfunction and High-glucose-fat diet and streptozotocin-induced diabetic nephropathy rats.

Moutan Cortex (MC, family: Paeonia suffruticosa Andr.) is a well-known traditional herbal medicine that has been shown to hold a protective effect on inflammation in several diseases. However, its anti-inflammatory activity on diabetic nephropathy (DN) has been less reported. The present study was conducted to evaluate the potential attenuation activities of MC on inflammation in AGEs-induced rat mesangial cells dysfunction and high-glucose-fat diet and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced DN rats and explore the possible mechanism underlying its DN effect. The inflammation in mesangial cells (HBZY-1) was induced by 200 μg/ml advanced glycation end products (AGEs). DN rats model was established by an administration high-glucose-fat diet and an intraperitoneal injection of STZ (30 mg/kg). Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) level in cell supernatant and rats serum were detected by appropriate kits. A co-culture system of mesangial cells and macrophages was performed to evaluate the migration of macrophages. Immunohistochemical assay was applied to examine transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-β1), IL-6, MCP-1 and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) expression in kidney tissues of rats. Furthermore, western blot analysis was carried out to examine TGF-β1, IL-6, MCP-1, ICAM-1 and RAGE protein expressions in mesangial cells. Pretreatment with MC could significantly inhibit AGEs-induced migration of macrophages in the co-culture system of mesangial cell and macrophage. MC could decrease IL-6 and MCP-1 levels in serum of DN rats in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, MC also improved the blood glucose, serum creatinine and urine protein levels. Both immunocytochemistry analysis and western blot analysis showed that MC decreased significantly the over-expression of IL-6, MCP-1, TGF-β1, ICAM-1 and RAGE in mesangial cells or kidney tissues. Additionally, the protein expression of proinflammatory cytokine could also be down-regulated by the pretreatment of RAGE-Ab (5 μg/ml). These findings indicated that the extract of MC had an amelioration activity on the inflammation in AGEs-induced mesangial cells dysfunction and high-glucose-fat diet and STZ-induced DN rats. The protective effect might be associated with the intervention of MC via target of RAGE. These findings suggested that MC might be a benefit agent for the prevention and treatment of DN.

Zhang MH ，Feng L ，Zhu MM ，Gu JF ，Jiang J ，Cheng XD ，Ding SM ，Wu C ，Jia XB ... -  《-》

The amelioration of streptozotocin diabetes-induced renal damage by Wu-Ling-San (Hoelen Five Herb Formula), a traditional Chinese prescription.

Liu IM ，Tzeng TF ，Liou SS ，Chang CJ ... -  《-》

Protective effect of Tanshinone IIA on the early stage of experimental diabetic nephropathy.

Kim SK ，Jung KH ，Lee BC 《BIOLOGICAL & PHARMACEUTICAL BULLETIN》

Effect of protocatechualdehyde on receptor for advanced glycation end products and TGF-beta1 expression in human lens epithelial cells cultured under diabetic conditions and on lens opacity in streptozotocin-diabetic rats.

Kim YS ，Kim NH ，Lee SW ，Lee YM ，Jang DS ，Kim JS ... -  《EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY》