title: [Protective effects of Salvia miltiorrhiza on rats with streptozotocin diabetes and its mechanism].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the effects of Salvia miltiorrhiza on renal morphology and renal function of rats with streptozotocin diabetes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups, which were normal control group, untreated group and Salvia miltiorrhiza-treated group. Diabetic nephropathy was induced in rats of the last two groups by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin after unilateral nephrectomy. Then the rats in the normal control and untreated groups were fed with normal saline while those in the Salvia miltiorrhiza-treated group were fed Salvia miltiorrhiza preparation for 8 weeks. The glomerular volume (VG), kidney-to-body weight ratio (KW/BW), urinary albumin excretion rate (UAER) and creatinine clearance (Ccr) were observed. The expression levels of transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1), connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), fibronectin (FN) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) were detected by real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) at the end of the experiment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  UAER, Ccr, VG and KW/BW ratio were significantly higher in the untreated group than those in the normal control group (P<0.05). The expression levels of TGF-beta1, CTGF, PAI-1 and FN in the untreated group were also significantly higher as compared with those in the normal control group (P<0.05). UAER, Ccr, VG, KW/BW ratio and the levels of TGF-beta1, CTGF, PAI-1 and FN in the Salvia miltiorrhiza-treated group were obviously lower than those in the untreated group (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Salvia miltiorrhiza can protect rats with streptozotocin diabetes from diabetic nephropathy by suppressing the over-expressions of TGF-beta1, CTGF, PAI-1 and FN in renal cortex.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Second Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province 250033, China.
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Guang-Ju
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.forename: Tong-Gang
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.forename: Yu-Qin
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Xue-Gang
authors.initials: XG
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Rong-Zhu
authors.initials: RZ
authors.lastname: Wen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D055513:Connective Tissue Growth Factor; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008517:Phytotherapy; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D027561:Salvia miltiorrhiza; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1
chemical_list: C526316:CCN2 protein, rat; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D005353:Fibronectins; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1; C508962:Tgfb1 protein, rat; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D055513:Connective Tissue Growth Factor