title: Protective effect of tetramethylpyrazine isolated from Ligusticum chuanxiong on nephropathy in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was designed to investigate the protective effect of tetramethylpyrazine isolated from Ligusticum chuanxiong, a traditional Chinese medicine, on diabetic nephropathy in a rat model, and to explore the possible mechanism involved in a protective function.
  
  
  METHODS
  Diabetes was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats by a single intraperitoneal injection of 70mg/kg of streptozotocin. One week later, 200mg/kg/day of tetramethylpyrazine was administered intragastric gavage daily for 8 weeks. Renal functions and expression of vascular endothelial growth factor were examined at 4 and 8 weeks after tetramethylpyrazine administration.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Blood glucose and renal function were significantly improved in the tetramethylpyrazine-treated group compared to the untreated diabetic rats. Diabetic nephropathy resulted in an increase in the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor, while tetramethylpyrazine administration greatly decreased the expression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that administration of tetramethylpyrazine may reduce kidney damage caused by diabetes. This protective effect may be mediated, in part, by downregulated expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in the kidney.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Qi-Hong
authors.initials: QH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Liang-Yi
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Si
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D030004:Ligusticum / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D011719:Pyrazines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D010936:Plant Extracts; D020011:Protective Agents; D011719:Pyrazines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C017953:tetramethylpyrazine