title: Antifibrotic effect of the Chinese herbs Modified Danggui Buxue Decoction on adriamycin-induced nephropathy in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the antifibrotic effect of the Chinese herbs Modified Danggui Buxue Decoction (, MDBD) on adraimycin-induced nephropathy in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-two male Sprague Dawley albino rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: the control, model, and two treatment groups, with 8 in each group. Nephropathy was induced in the latter 3 groups by intravenous injection of adriamycin. Rats in the two treatment groups received intragastric administration of benazepri (a positive control) or MDBD, which is composed of extracts of Radix Angelicae sinensis, Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bge and Rhizoma chuanxiong. Serum albumin, blood lipids, 24-h urine protein and urine N-acetyl-b-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) were measured every 2 weeks. The ratio of kidney to body weight was measured. The expressions of extracellular matrix proteins in the renal cortex, including colleagen IV (Col-IV) and fibronectin (FN), were examined by immunohistochemistry, and the transcription of genes encoding transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1), the tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1) and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) were analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) at the end of the 8-week treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the untreated rats in the model group, MDBD significantly increased serum albumin, lowered the blood lipids and decreased the ratio of kidney to body weight. MDBD significantly reduced the excretion levels of urinary protein and NAG as well as the accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM), including Col-IV and FN, in the renal cortex. Further, MDBD decreased TIMP-1 and TGF-β1 gene expressions and increased MMP-9 gene expression in the kidney.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MDBD was effective in treating the rat model of nephropathy. The clinical benefit was associated with reduction of renal fibrosis. The antifibrotic effect of MDBD may be mediated through the regulation of TIMP-1, MMP and TGF-β1 gene expressions.
authors.affiliation: The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, Jiangsu Province, China. weimg@sina.com
authors.forename: Ming-Gang
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Pei-Hua
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.forename: Jia-de
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Shao
mesh_terms: D000118:Acetylglucosaminidase / Q000652:urine; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D024141:Collagen Type IV / Q000378:metabolism; D004317:Doxorubicin; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000378:metabolism; D005355:Fibrosis; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007672:Kidney Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000652:urine; D007677:Kidney Function Tests; D008297:Male; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019716:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D024141:Collagen Type IV; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D005353:Fibronectins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012709:Serum Albumin; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D014280:Triglycerides; C477279:danggui buxue decoction; D019716:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2; D004317:Doxorubicin; D000118:Acetylglucosaminidase; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9