title: Effect of puerarin on the expression of extracellular matrix in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetic nephropathy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Inhibition of the formation of advanced glycation end-products delays the development of diabetic nephropathy. Puerarin decreases the formation of these products. We studied the effect of puerarin in a rat model of diabetic nephropathy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three groups of rats were studied: a control group, a diabetic group in whom diabetic nephropathy was induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin, and a puerarin group in which diabetic rats were treated with puerarin. During and after treatment, measurements were made on the rats' general status, blood glucose level, blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, creatinine clearance rate and urinary albumin excretion over 24 hours. The expression of collagen I and heparan sulphate proteoglycan in the extracellular matrix of the glomerulus was assessed by immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rats in the puerarin group had a better general condition than those with diabetes. They also had lower blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine and urinary albumin excretion rate over 24 hours compared with those in the diabetic group. The creatinine clearance and expression of heparan sulphate proteoglycan in the kidney also increased significantly in the puerarin group compared with that in the diabetic group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Puerarin seems to have certain protective effects on diabetic nephropathy induced by streptozotocin. This is caused possibly by regulating the expression of glomerular extracellular matrix.
authors.affiliation: Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China.
authors.forename: Qiangxiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Hanren
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Daojun
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Feiyue
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Qun
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Huiling
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Huiju
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhong
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000150:complications*; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000187:drug effects; D050533:Glomerular Basement Membrane / Q000187:drug effects*; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000187:drug effects; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007529:Isoflavones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D023421:Models, Animal; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D007529:Isoflavones; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; C033607:puerarin