Renoprotective effects of Astragalus and Angelica mixture in rats with 5/6 nephrectomy

To explore whether Chinese herbs Astragalus and Angelica mixture (A&A) have renoprotective effects on chronic renal failure in rats.5/6 nephrectomized kidney in rats was used as chronic renal failure model. Rats were randomly divided into four groups which included sham, Model, A&A and enalapril (Ena) groups. The remnant kidney was harvested after 2, 4, 8, 12 weeks, and levels of serum creatinine (scr), urea and urinary protein excretion were measured using routine biochemical methods. The pathological lesions were observed by light microscope. The expressions of fibronectin (FN) and collagen IV (Col-IV) in glomeruli and interstitium were detected by immnuohistochemistry.5/6 nephrectomized rats were presented with the characteristics of increasing scr and urea, persistent proteinuria at the end of the 2nd, 4th, 8th, 12th weeks, respectively. They had increasing size of glomeruli with progressive proliferation of mesangial cells and mesangial matrix followed by glomerulosclerosis and progressive elevated expressions of FN and Col-IV. Compared with Model group, the administration of A&A could decrease urinary protein excretion for 34%, 44%, 25%, 45% at the end of the 2nd, 4th, 8th and 12th weeks, respectively (P<0.05). At the end of the 8 th week of A&A administration, mesangial proliferation was much lower than that in the untreated rats, the expressions of FN and Col-IV were decreased for 18% and 29%(P<0.05), respectively. At the end of the 12th week, the number of sclerotic glomeruli was decreased and renal interstitial fibrosis almost disappeared, accompanied with the decreased expressions of FN and Col-IV for 17% and 14% (P<0.05), respectively. The beneficial effects of A&A were similar to the effects of enalapril in the study.A&A reduced extracellular matrix deposition and down-regulated the lesions of glomerulosclerosis and renal interstitial fibrosis in rats with chronic renal failure, which may be due to its effect on the earlier and persistent reduction of proteinuria.PubMed02196-2024