Protective effects of sarsasapogenin against early stage of diabetic nephropathy in rats |
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| Authors: | Yao‐Wu Liu Ya‐Jing Chen Shen‐Yuan Yin Meng‐Ya Zhang Li Kong Tao‐Yun Wang |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China;2. Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, ChinaThese authors contributed equally to this study.;3. College of Chemistry, Biology and Material Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, China |
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| Abstract: | Rhizome of Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bunge (AA, family Liliaceae) has been widely used in China for thousands of years to treat febrile diseases and diabetes. Steroidal saponins from AA show good antidiabetes effects and ameliorate diabetic complications. This study was designed to investigate the effects of sarsasapogenin (Sar), a major sapogenin from AA, on diabetic nephropathy (DN) in rats, and to explore the possible mechanisms. Diabetic rats were divided into 3 groups treated orally with Sar (0, 20, or 60 mg/kg) and carboxymethylcellulose sodium, whereas normal rats for Sar (0 or 60 mg/kg) and carboxymethylcellulose sodium. We found that chronic treatment with Sar for 9 weeks significantly ameliorated renal dysfunction of diabetic rats, as evidenced by decreases in albuminuria, kidney weight index, serum uric acid, and morphologic changes such as extracellular matrix expansion and accumulation (fibronectin and collagen IV levels, etc.). Meanwhile, Sar treatment resulted in decreases in interleukin‐18, NLRP3, and activated caspase 1 levels as well as advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) and their receptor (RAGE) levels in the renal cortex of diabetic rats. However, Sar has no effects on the above indices in the normal rats. Therefore, Sar can markedly ameliorate diabetic nephropathy in rats via inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome activation and AGEs–RAGE interaction. |
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| Keywords: | AGEs/RAGE axis diabetic nephropathy NLRP3 inflammasome sarsasapogenin serum uric acid |
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