Astragalus granule ameliorates renal injury in diabetic rats and patients with diabetic kidney disease
Description
1 Astragalus granule with losartan alleviated STZ-induced renal injury in DKD rats Significantly reduced kidney/body weight ratios and BUN were observed in AG+losartan group and Losartan group compared to Model group (P<0.01)(Figure 1). Compared to the losartan group, the ACR were also significantly reduced in AG+losartan group (P<0.05)(Figure 2). The results of histopathological tests of the renal tissues at the end of the experiment are shown in Figures 3. Pathological renal lesion significantly worsened in the model group. AG+losartan and losartan relieved glomerular hypertrophy and mesangial expansion (Figure 3). 2 In comparison with controls, the expression of TLR4, MyD88 and p-NF-κB significantly increased in the model group (P<0.05). After 12 weeks of treatment with Astragalus granules and losartan, the expression of TLR4, MyD88 and p-NF-κB protein decreased in the AG+losartan group and Losartan group (P<0.05). Compared to the losartan group, TLR4, MyD88 and p-NF-κB were also significantly reduced in AG+losartan group. In the all groups the level of NF-κB was not statistically different (Figure 4). 3 Astragalus granulesinhibited STZ-induced TNF-α and IL-1β generation in DKD rats Renal inflammation plays a key role in promoting the occurrence and development of DKD. To explore whether Astragalus granules could affect STZ-induced inflammatory cytokines production, ELISA was performed to detect the levels of TNF-α and IL-1β in blood of DKD rats. An apparent upregulation was observed in the levels of TNF-α and IL-1β in blood of DKD rats, while astragalus granules and losartan treatment strikingly inhibited the increase of TNF-α and IL-1β in DKD rats (Figure 5). 4 Astragalus granules alleviated renal injury in DKD patients The study was conducted as a randomized, controlled, prospective study. Patients were recruited over a time period of six months. Overall, 60 DKD patients with control group (n=30) and AG+losartan group (n=30) were included. The characteristics are in Table 1. There were no significantly different between the control group and AG+losartan group (Table 1). With 12 weeks treatment, the ACR in control group and AG+losartan group were significantly lower than 12 weeks ago. Meanwhile, compared to the control group, the ACR were significantly reduced in AG+losartan group (P<0.05). Alanine transaminase (ALT), Aspartic transaminase (AST), Blood urea nitrogen (BUN), Serum creatinine (SCR), Serum uric Acid (SUA), Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and Kalium (K) were similar among the groups (Table 2). 5 Astragalus granulesinhibited TNF-α and IL-1β generation in DKD patients. ELISA was performed to detect the levels of TNF-α and IL-1β in blood of DKD patients. With 12 weeks treatment, astragalus granules and losartan treatment strikingly inhibited the increase of TNF-α and IL-1β in DKD rats (P<0.05)(Figure 6). But there was no significantly different in control group.