真武汤对链脲佐菌素所致大鼠糖尿病肾病的保护作用

 目的：探讨真武汤对糖尿病大鼠肾脏的保护作用及机制。方法：腹腔注射链脲佐菌素(STZ)建立糖尿病肾病大鼠模型，将成模大鼠随机分为糖尿病肾病(DN)模型组和真武汤治疗组（真武组），另设正常组。采用生化、HE染色观察真武汤对糖尿病肾病大鼠肾功能、肾组织形态学变化及脂质过氧化相关参数的作用；采用蛋白免疫印迹方法探讨真武汤对肾组织α-平滑肌肌动蛋白（α-SMA）和NF-κB表达的影响。结果：模型组大鼠肾系数、24 h尿蛋白定量、血尿素氮、肌酐、血糖和丙二醛(MDA)均显著升高(P<0.05)，体重、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)及诱导型一氧化氮合酶（iNOS）显著降低(P<0.05)；真武组大鼠的肾系数、24 h尿蛋白、尿素氮、肌酐、血糖和MDA明显低于模型组(P<0.05)，iNOS显著高于模型组（P<0.05）；模型组大鼠肾小球肥大、毛细血管基底膜增厚，系膜基质增生，肾小管上皮细胞空泡样变，可见蛋白管型;真武组病变轻于模型组。模型大鼠肾组织α-SMA及NF-κB蛋白的水平明显高于正常组（P<0.05），真武组大鼠肾组织α-SMA及NF-κB蛋白水平明显低于模型组（P<0.05）。结论：真武汤能减轻糖尿病肾病肾脏局部氧化应激反应，改善糖尿病肾病大鼠肾功能，减轻病理损伤，其发挥肾脏保护作用可能与抑制α-SMA及NF-κB蛋白的表达有关。

Protective effects of Zhenwu decoction on kidney injury of diabetic rats induced by streptozotocin

AIM：To investigate the effects of Zhenwu decoction (ZWD) on the expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA)  and NF-κB in diabetic nephropathy (DN) rats. METHODS：Diabetic rat model was induced by intrape-ritoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ), and the animals were randomly divided into STZ group (n=22) and STZ+ZWD group (n=23). The normal rats served as control (n=16). All rats were sacrificed on 8 weeks after modeling. Biochemical assay and pathological observation (HE staining and transmission electron microscopy) were used to evaluate the effects of Zhenwu decoction on the renal function and pathological morphology. The body weight, renal index, blood glucose, total urinary protein in 24 h, and superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA),inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) were determined as well. Western blotting was used to observe the effects of Zhenwu decoction on the expression of α-SMA and NF-κB in diabetic nephropathy (DN) rats. RESULTS：Compared with normal group, the renal index, blood glucose concentration, total urinary protein in 24 h, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (SCr) and MDA were significantly higher and body weight was lower in DN rats (P<0. 05). Pathological examination of the kidneys in DN group showed glomerular hypertrophy, glomerular basement membrane thickening, tubular epithelial cell degeneration, mesangial matrix proliferation, protein cast formation in some renal tubules. The protein expression levels of α-SMA and NF-κB were markedly increased (P<0.05). After ZWD treatment, the level of renal index, total urinary protein in 24 h, BUN, SCr and the expression of α-SMA and NF-κB at the protein level were significantly decreased (P<0.05). The renal histological injury in ZWD group was significantly ameliorated. CONCLUSION：Zhenwu decoction might protect kidney against STZ-induced injury via decreasing the expression of α-SMA and NF-κB.