title: Rhubarb Enema Attenuates Renal Tubulointerstitial Fibrosis in 5/6 Nephrectomized Rats by Alleviating Indoxyl Sulfate Overload.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of rhubarb enema treatment using a 5/6 nephrectomized rat model and study its mechanisms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-eight Sprague Dawley rats were divided into three groups: sham operation group (n = 8), 5/6 nephrectomized (5/6Nx) (n = 10), and 5/6Nx with rhubarb enema treatment (n = 10). The rhubarb enema was continuous for 1.0 month. Serum creatinine, serum indoxyl sulfate (IS) level, renal pathology, tubulointerstitial fibrosis, and renal oxidative stress were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  5/6Nx rats showed increasing levels of serum creatinine and severe pathological lesions. Their serum creatinine levels obviously decreased after rhubarb enema treatment (P < 0.05 vs 5/6Nx group). The administration of rhubarb enema attenuated the histopathological changes in 5/6Nx rats. In addition, 5/6Nx rats showed an enhanced extent of tubulointerstitial fibrosis compared with sham rats, and administration of rhubarb enema to 5/6Nx rats ameliorated tubulointerstitial fibrosis. 5/6Nx rats showed increased serum levels of IS, renal oxidative stress, and NF-κB compared with sham rats, whereas administration of rhubarb enema to 5/6Nx rats decreased serum levels of IS, renal oxidative stress, and NF-κB levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Rhubarb enema treatment ameliorates tubulointerstitial fibrosis in the kidneys of 5/6Nx rats, most likely by alleviating IS overload and reducing kidney oxidative stress and inflammatory injury.
authors.affiliation: National Key Unit of Clinical Research of TCM on Chronic Kidney Diseases, Key Unit of Kidney Diseases, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of TCM, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510120, P.R.China.
authors.forename: Zhaoyu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: National Key Unit of Clinical Research of TCM on Chronic Kidney Diseases, Key Unit of Kidney Diseases, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of TCM, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510120, P.R.China.
authors.forename: Yuqun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.affiliation: National Key Unit of Clinical Research of TCM on Chronic Kidney Diseases, Key Unit of Kidney Diseases, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of TCM, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510120, P.R.China.
authors.forename: Fuhua
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: National Key Unit of Clinical Research of TCM on Chronic Kidney Diseases, Key Unit of Kidney Diseases, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of TCM, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510120, P.R.China.
authors.forename: Xusheng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: National Key Unit of Clinical Research of TCM on Chronic Kidney Diseases, Key Unit of Kidney Diseases, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of TCM, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510120, P.R.China.
authors.forename: Chuan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zou
mesh_terms: D000080242:8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine; D000818:Animals; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000378:metabolism; D003849:Deoxyguanosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D004733:Enema; D007200:Indican / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000097:blood; D007249:Inflammation / Q000473:pathology; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D009392:Nephrectomy; D062793:Occludin / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012250:Rheum / Q000737:chemistry*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D024042:Collagen Type I; D016328:NF-kappa B; D062793:Occludin; D000080242:8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D003849:Deoxyguanosine; D007200:Indican