title: Hepato-/reno-protective activity of Chinese prescription Kangen-karyu through inhibition of AGE formation and fibrosis-related protein expression in type 2 diabetes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was conducted to examine whether Kangen-karyu, a Chinese prescription, has an ameliorative effect on diabetes-induced alterations such as advanced glycation endproduct (AGE) formation or the fibrotic response in liver and kidney of type 2 diabetic db/db mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Kangen-karyu (100 or 200 mg/kg body weight/day, p.o.) was administered every day for 18 weeks to db/db mice, and its effect was compared with vehicle-treated db/db and m/m mice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The administration of Kangen-karyu decreased the elevated serum glucose concentration in db/db mice. The increased serum creatinine and urea nitrogen levels, which reflect renal dysfunction in db/db mice, were significantly lowered by Kangen-karyu administration. The db/db mice exhibited the up-regulation of AGEs and its receptor expression in liver and kidney; however, Kangen-karyu treatment significantly reduced expression except for the receptor. Moreover, the augmented expressions of fibrosis-related proteins, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, fibronectin and collagen IV were down-regulated by Kangen-karyu administration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results provide important evidence that Kangen-karyu exhibits a pleiotropic effect on AGE formation and fibrosis-related parameters, representing hepatoprotective and renoprotective effects against the development of diabetic complications in type 2 diabetic db/db mice.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Natural Medicine, University of Toyama, Sugitani, Toyama, Japan.
authors.forename: Takuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okamoto
authors.forename: Chan Hum
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Jeong Sook
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Noh
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Toriizuka
authors.forename: Yasuo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sei
authors.forename: Jong Cheol
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Takako
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yokozawa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D024141:Collagen Type IV / Q000378:metabolism; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000517:prevention & control; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000517:prevention & control; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000378:metabolism; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D017127:Glycation End Products, Advanced / Q000378:metabolism*; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000517:prevention & control; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008820:Mice, Obese; D000067759:Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000378:metabolism; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D024141:Collagen Type IV; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D005353:Fibronectins; D017127:Glycation End Products, Advanced; C468270:Kangen-karyu; D000067759:Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; C508961:Tgfb1 protein, mouse; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1