ABSTRACT
Aim To investigate the preventive and therapeutic effects of Danzhijiangtang capsule (DZJT) on diabetic nephropathy in rats and its mechanism. Methods Twelve rats were randomly selected as the normal group from 100 male SD rats, the remaining was induced by high fat diet and streptozotocin (34 mg • kg-1, ip), and 65 successful modeling rats were randomly divided into model group, DZJT high, medium, low dose group and pioglitazone group. Gavage was administered for 8 weeks. The blood glucose, renal function and the expression of TGF-β1 in serum were measured. The pathological changes of renal tissue were observed. The expressions of TGF-β1 Smad2, Smad3, Smad7 and CTGF in renal tissues were detected. Results Compared with normal group, the blood glucose of rats in model group significantly increased, renal and glomerular hypertrophy, basement membrane thickening, extracellular matrix increased, and inflammatory cell infiltration, fibrous tissue hyper plasia, kidney pathological score increased significantly; the expression of TGF-β1, SmacB and CTGF in renal tissues increased significantly, and the expression of Smad2 and Smad7 decreased markedly. Compared with model group, the above indicators in each treatment group decreased in different degrees, and the pathological morphology of kidney was improved obviously; TGF-β1, Smad3 and CTGF decreased, while the levels of Smad2 and Smad7 increased. Conclusions The capsule can effectively improve the symptoms of diabetes and alleviate the kidney damage in rats, and its mechanism may be related to the regulation of TGF-β1/Smads signaling pathway and its downstream CTGF expression.
ABSTRACT
<p><b>Objective</b>To investigate the protective effect of Wuziyanzong Pills (WYP) in the rat model of oligoasthenospermia (OAS) and its action mechanism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty male SD rats were equally randomized into six groups: normal control, OAS model, Shengjing Capsules (1.6 g per kg of the body weight), low-dose WYP (1 g per kg of the body weight), medium-dose WYP (2 g per kg of the body weight), and high-dose WYP (4 g per kg of the body weight). The OAS model was established by intragastric administration of Tripterygium glucoside at 30 mg per g per d for 6 weeks. From the 3rd week of modeling, the rats of the medication groups were treated intragastrically with corresponding drugs for 4 weeks. Then all the rats were sacrificed for measurement of the testicular and epididymal organ coefficients, examination of epididymal sperm quality and apoptosis, and detection of the openness of the sperm mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP). Histopathological changes in the testis were observed by HE staining and the apoptosis of spermatogenic cells determined by Hochest staining.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>WYP obviously improved the organ coefficients of the testis and epididymis, increased sperm concentration, motility and viability, decreased the apoptosis of spermatogenic cells, and inhibited the abnormal openness of MPTP in the OAS model rats. HE staining showed that the number and levels of spermatogenic cells were significantly increased while Hochest staining manifested that the apoptosis of spermatogenic cells was remarkably inhibited in the seminiferous tubules of the testis in the WYP-treated rats.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>WYP can improve sperm quality and reduce the apoptosis of spermatogenic cells (including sperm) in OAS model rats, which may be related with its inhibitory effect on the abnormal openness of MPTP.</p>