title: The effects of Panax notoginseng saponins on the cytokines and peritoneal function in rats with peritoneal fibrosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Due to the long-term and chronic exposure to the peritoneal dialysis fluid, patients could develop peritoneal fibrosis and ultrafiltration failure which compromises treatment efficacy and outcome, and fibrosis is the major cause of peritoneal dialysis (PD) withdraw among patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one male WISTAR rats were randomly assigned to three groups, namely saline group, standard peritoneal dialysis fluid (PDF) group, and panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) group. Peritoneal fibrosis was induced by daily injection of PDF for 4 weeks. After execution, multiple histological techniques including HE and Masson's trichrome staining and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were applied to observe the pathological changes and concentrations of multiple cytokines may involve in the process of fibrosis were determined by enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay (ELISA). Biochemistry parameters were determined by automated chemistry analyzer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PNS can significantly inhibit the expression of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β1), connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), and monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP-1) in the peritoneum of rats. Furthermore, pathological damages, including extracellular matrix deposition, vascularization, and fibroblast, were ameliorated in PNS group when being compared with standard PDF group. Peritoneal functions were improved by regular PNS treatment with significantly elevated ultrafiltration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PNS is capable of improving peritoneal function in subjects with PDF exposure and can possibly applied in patients with PD after further verification.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Nephrology , First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University , Xiamen , People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Weiping
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: a Department of Nephrology , First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University , Xiamen , People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yanlin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: a Department of Nephrology , First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University , Xiamen , People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Keshav Raj
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Sigdel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D055513:Connective Tissue Growth Factor / Q000097:blood; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D015314:Dialysis Solutions / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D053723:Panax notoginseng / Q000737:chemistry; D010530:Peritoneal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D056627:Peritoneal Fibrosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D010537:Peritoneum / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012503:Saponins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D015314:Dialysis Solutions; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012503:Saponins; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D055513:Connective Tissue Growth Factor
keywords: Cytokines; Panax notoginseng saponins; histological analysis; peritoneal fibrosis; ultrafiltration