EFFECT OF NOURISHING YIN AND ACTIVATING BLOOD RECIPE ON OXIDATIVE STRESS INJURY IN THE KIDNEY MITOCHONDRIA OF DIABETIC RATS

Xiaoyu Zhang^1,2, Chuping Chen¹, Zongyu Wu¹, Caixia Pan¹, Yu Weng², Zhuona Yin², Bo Chen², Gugen Xu², Jianmin Ran^1*

¹Department of Endocrinology, Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China - ²Department of Endocrinology, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, China

Objective: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is one of the common microvascular complications of diabetes mellitus (DM), and it is also the main cause of disability and death in diabetic patients. The purpose of this study was to observe the effect of drugs that nourish yin and promote blood circulation on the oxidative damage of kidney mitochondria in rats with diabetes. Furthermore, we explored their possible mechanism of action, and compared the effects of traditional Chinese medicine on removing thrombi and dredging collaterals, to provide experimental data for the clinical prevention and treatment of DN. 

Methods: In this study, 60 rats were randomly divided into a conventional group, a model group, a Shenqi pill group, a Buyang group, and a Western medicine control group. The physiological group and model group were injected with saline. After 6 weeks, ATP, ADP, and AMP content and EC value were measured. Fasting blood glucose (FBG) and blood lipids (TC, TG) were also measured. We calculated the body weight, kidney mass, and hypertrophy index of each group. In addition, the appearance and pathology of the kidney were observed by staining (PAS), and the expression of nestin in kidney tissue was detected by immunohistochemistry.

Results: The results showed that, compared with the normal group, the expression of nephrin and NEPH1 protein in the model group was significantly reduced (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the expression of renin and NEPH1 protein in the Shenqi pill group, the Buyang group, and the Western medicine control group were all increased (P<0.05), and there was no significant difference in the expression of these proteins in the Western medicine control group (P>0.05). There was no significant difference in NEPH1 protein expression between the treatment groups; however, nephrin protein expression in the Shenqi pill group was higher than in the model group. Compatible group and western medicine control group (P<0.05). Real-time PCR was used to detect the expression of nephrin and NEPH1 mRNA in kidney tissue. Compared with the normal group, the expression of nephrin and NEPH1 mRNA in the model group was significantly reduced (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the expression of renin and NEPH1 mRNA in each treatment group was increased (P<0.05). Compared with each treatment group, no NEPH1 mRNA expression was observed, the difference was statistically significant, and the expression level of nephrin mRNA was higher. There were statistically significant differences between the Shenqi pill group, the Buyang group, and the Western medicine control group (P<0.05). 

Conclusion: Chinese medicine may have a synergistic effect in removing blood clots, removing collateral vessels, and protecting DN. Chinese medicine is effective in removing blood clots.