title: Effects of Panax notoginoside on the nephropathy in rats with type 1 diabetes mellitus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the effects and underlying mechanisms of Panax notoginoside (PNS) on the nephropathy in rats with type 1 diabetes.
  
  
  METHODS
  A murine model of diabetic nephropathy was set up by an intravenous injection of streptozotocin (STZ). Wistar rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: the control group, the diabetic group (DM), the group treated with low-dosage PNS (PNS-L), the group treated with high-dosage PNS (PNS-H) and the group treated with catopril. Rats in the PNS-L and PNS-H groups were given different dosages of PNS while rats in the catopril group were given catopril through gastrogavage every day for the next four consecutive weeks. Serum creatinine (Cr) levels, endogenous creatinine clearance rate (CCr), and 24-h urinary microalbumin (UAlb) were examined and calculated. Meanwhile, immunohistochemistry was applied to determine the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP-7) in the kidney tissue.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The levels of Cr, Ccr, and UAlb were all elevated significantly in the DM group (P<0.01). The expression of VEGF protein was increased but BMP-7 protein was decreased in the kidney tissue (P<0.01). However, the above items decreased in the PNS-L, PNS-H and catopril groups compared with the DM group (P<0.05, P<0.01). In the PNS-L, PNS-H and catopril groups, the expression of VEGF protein was decreased but BMP-7 protein was increased in the kidney tissue (P<0.05, P<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PNS shows protective effects on the kidney in type 1 diabetic rats at the early stage. The protective mechanism might be closely related to its role of inhibiting the expression of VEGF protein and enhancing the expression of BMP-7 protein in the kidney.
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Tongji Hospital/Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China. 13hui@sohu.com
authors.forename: Qing-nian
authors.initials: QN
authors.lastname: Tu
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Fu-er
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D055419:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 7 / Q000378:metabolism; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006984:Hypertrophy; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D007677:Kidney Function Tests; D008297:Male; D005894:Panax / Q000737:chemistry*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D055419:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 7; D010936:Plant Extracts; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A