title: Shenfushu granule and atropine attenuate microvasculature loss in rat models with 5/6 nephrectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of Shenfushu granule (SFSG) and atropine treatment on microvessels of the kidney and intestine after chronic renal failure (CRF) induced by 5/6 nephrectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into a sham group, a model group, an SFSG group, and an SFSG + atropine group. SFSG was administered daily 1 week after inducing CRF. Rats were sacrificed at the end of the eighth week. Urinary protein and stool and serum urea nitrogen (UN) and creatinine (Cr) levels were assessed. Hematoxylin and eosin and periodic acid-Schiff staining of the kidney and examination of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and microvessel density (MVD) levels in kidney and intestine were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Cr and UN levels were significantly increased in blood and stool of the model group. SFSG significantly improved renal function, and the protective effects were further enhanced with the addition of atropine. Glomerular sclerosis, tubulointerstitial fibrosis, and microvessel loss were observed in CRF rats, and these pathological changes were ameliorated in the two treatment groups (p < 0.05), especially in the SFSG + atropine group. The expression of VEGF and MVD was decreased in the CRF rats compared with the sham group. SFSG treatment increased the expression of these proteins and reversed the degree of microvessel loss, glomerular sclerosis, and tubulointerstitial fibrosis (p < 0.05). Co-treatment with atropine enhanced these effects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SFSG alleviated renal function, upregulated the expression of VEGF and MVD in the kidney and intestine, and attenuated the degree of microvessel loss, glomerular sclerosis, and tubulointerstitial fibrosis in the early stages of CRF in rats, and addition of atropine enhanced these effects.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Research Institute of Nephrology, Central South University, Changsha, PR China.
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ya-Fen
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Yun-Sheng
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001285:Atropine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007668:Kidney / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D055806:Microvessels / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D009392:Nephrectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010276:Parasympatholytics / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D010276:Parasympatholytics; C492793:Shen-Fu; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D001285:Atropine