title: Total saponin of Dioscoreae hypoglaucae rhizoma ameliorates streptozotocin-induced diabetic nephropathy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Diabetic nephropathy has become the most common cause of morbidity and mortality in diabetic patients. Therefore, there is an urgent need for more effective and safer drugs for use in this condition.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aims of this study were to investigate the ameliorative effects of total saponin of Dioscoreae hypoglaucae rhizoma (TSD) on diabetic nephropathy and to explore the potential underlying mechanism(s).
  
  
  METHODS
  Rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes were orally treated with TSD at 40, 80, and 160 mg/kg/d for 12 weeks. At the end of the treatment, blood, urine, and kidneys were collected for biochemical and histological examination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results demonstrated that TSD significantly decreased the fasting blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, urinary protein, serum creatinine, and blood urea nitrogen levels in diabetic rats. The results of histological examinations showed that TSD ameliorated glomerular and tubular pathological changes in diabetic rats. Furthermore, TSD significantly prevented oxidative stress and reduced the renal levels of advanced glycation end products, transforming growth factor-β1, connective tissue growth factor, and tumor necrosis factor-α.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrated the renoprotective effects of TSD in experimental diabetic nephropathy via a number of different mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Changrun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Kanion Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd, Lianyungang City, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Kanion Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd, Lianyungang City, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Wenzhe
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Kanion Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd, Lianyungang City, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Zhenzhong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China; Jiangsu Kanion Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd, Lianyungang City, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Zhaoqing
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Kanion Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd, Lianyungang City, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xiao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D027742:Dioscorea / Q000737:chemistry*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D008297:Male; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012503:Saponins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013311:Streptozocin
chemical_list: D012503:Saponins; D013311:Streptozocin
keywords: AGEs; TGF-β1; diabetic nephropathy; oxidative stress; total saponin of Dioscoreae hypoglaucae rhizoma