title: Effect of Chinese herbs on immunoglobulin A nephropathy: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) is one of the main causes of renal fibrosis. Emerging evidence suggests that the metabolic enzyme of ECM is associated with renal fibrosis. In this study, we applied randomly controlled trial to check the curative effect of Chinese herbs on patients with immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-six patients were randomly divided into group A (control group) treated with Western Medicine and group B (treatment group) treated with combination of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Western Medicine. Blood and urine tests were done before treatment and after 8-week treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The levels of the main composition of extracellular matrix (MC-ECM), the metabolic enzyme of ECM (ME-ECM) and some cytokines in group B decreased more obviously than those in group A after 8-week treatment. So did the level of 24-hour urine protein. However, Metal matrix protease (MMP)-2 and vascular endothelial growth factor in group B increased more obviously than those in group A after 8-week treatment. No effects on the renal function were found in both groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study provided important information on using the combination of TCM with Western Medicine to inhibit the progression of renal fibrosis in patients with IgAN.
authors.affiliation: The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China. weimg@sina.com
authors.forename: Minggang
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Peihua
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005922:Glomerulonephritis, IGA / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000097:blood; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2