title: Protective effect of 3-n-butylphthalide against hypertensive nephropathy in spontaneously hypertensive rats.
abstract: Previous studies have demonstrated that a natural product of celery seeds, 3‑n‑butylphthalide (NBP), has significant antihypertensive effects that are widely utilized in Chinese traditional medicine. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of NBP on hypertensive nephropathy, as well as the mechanisms underlying this disease in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). SHRs were treated orally with saline, NBP (15 or 30 mg/kg) or losartan (10 mg/kg) daily for 20 weeks, during which time blood pressure was measured every four weeks. At the end of the 20‑week treatment, blood and urine samples were collected for biochemical analysis, and kidney tissues were obtained for histopathological analysis and immunohistochemistry. Enzyme‑linked immunosorbent assays and western blotting were used to analyze the expression of transforming growth factor (TGF)‑β1 in blood and kidney tissues, respectively. The results showed that NBP effectively attenuated progression of hypertensive nephropathy by decreasing urinary albumin excretion and blood urea nitrogen levels. It significantly decreased blood pressure (although less markedly than losartan) and the incidence of glomerulosclerosis. In addition, it alleviated tubular impairment and significantly decreased oxidative stress, as well as the expression of pro‑inflammatory cytokines and TGF-‑β1 in kidney tissues. In conclusion, the results suggested that NBP may slow the progression of hypertensive nephropathy by a variety of mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yantao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Changhai
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000418:Albumins / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D001806:Blood Urea Nitrogen; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006977:Hypertension, Renal / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D019808:Losartan / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D019255:NADPH Oxidases / Q000378:metabolism; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D009393:Nephritis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000418:Albumins; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D001572:Benzofurans; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016328:NF-kappa B; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; C027125:3-n-butylphthalide; D019255:NADPH Oxidases; D019808:Losartan