Long-term treatment with Hachimi-jio-gan attenuates kidney damage in spontaneously diabetic WBN/Kob rats

J Pharm Pharmacol. 2005 Sep;57(9):1205-12. doi: 10.1211/jpp.57.9.0016.

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is now the most common cause of end-stage renal failure. In this study, the effects of Hachimi-jio-gan on diabetic kidney damage in spontaneously diabetic WBN/Kob rats were examined. Oral administration of Hachimi-jio-gan to WBN/Kob rats for 25 weeks significantly suppressed urinary protein excretion. It did not affect body weight loss or blood glucose levels, whereas it reversed the increase in kidney weight of WBN/Kob rats. Hachimi-jio-gan also reduced fibronectin and transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1) protein expression in the renal cortex. Furthermore, renal lipid peroxidation levels of WBN/Kob rats given Hachimi-jio-gan were significantly lower than those of untreated controls. Renal superoxide dismutase activity was elevated by Hachimi-jio-gan treatment in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggested that Hachimi-jio-gan could prevent diabetic kidney damage by reducing renal oxidative injury and expression of fibronectin and TGF-beta1 proteins, which are all involved in the pathophysiology of diabetic nephropathy.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Oral
  • Animals
  • Blood Glucose
  • Blood Urea Nitrogen
  • Body Weight / drug effects
  • Creatinine / blood
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / drug therapy*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / genetics
  • Diabetic Nephropathies / drug therapy*
  • Diabetic Nephropathies / etiology
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drug Administration Schedule
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal / isolation & purification
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal / pharmacology
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal / therapeutic use*
  • Fibronectins / drug effects
  • Fibronectins / genetics
  • Fibronectins / metabolism
  • Kidney Cortex / drug effects
  • Kidney Cortex / metabolism
  • Male
  • Organ Size / drug effects
  • Proteinuria / drug therapy
  • Rats
  • Rats, Inbred Strains
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Superoxide Dismutase / drug effects
  • Superoxide Dismutase / metabolism
  • Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / metabolism
  • Time Factors
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta / drug effects
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta / genetics
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta / metabolism
  • Urine / chemistry

Substances

  • Blood Glucose
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal
  • Fibronectins
  • Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta
  • hachimijiogan
  • Creatinine
  • Superoxide Dismutase