ABSTRACT
Objective:To explore the effect of Rehmanniae Radix combined with Scrophulariae Radix on renal microinflammation in diabetic nephropathy (DN) rats. Methods:50 Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were adaptively fed for 1 week, and then 10 rats were randomly selected as the blank control group, and the rest were treated with STZ intraperitoneal injection combined with high-fat diet to induce DN model. After 4 weeks, the successful modeled rats were randomly divided into model group, Rehmannia glutinosa Scrophularia group (5.25 g/kg) and metformin group (200 mg/kg), with 10 rats in each group. After 8 weeks of administration, fasting blood glucose was measured by blood glucose meter; microalbuminuria was measured by benzalkonium chloride turbidimetry; serum cystatin, TNF-α, IL-6 and hs-CRP levels were measured by ELISA kit; renal pathological changes were detected by HE staining, Masson staining and PAS staining; the expression of MCP-1, NF-κB (total) and p-NF-κB protein in renal tissue was detected by Western blot.Results:Compared with the model group, the body weight of rats in DHXS group was significantly decreased ( P<0.05). The content of fasting blood glucose[(18.06 ± 5.69) mmol/L vs. (29.42 ± 0.63)mmol/L], 24-hour urine protein [(11.02 ± 1.77)mg/d vs. (31.61 ± 0.65)mg/d], serum cystatin [(208.16 ± 12.07)ng/ml vs. (278.05 ± 19.33)ng/ml], TNF-α [(9.13 ± 1.46)pg/ml vs. (73.16 ± 8.30)pg/ml], IL-6[(4.27 ± 1.07)pg/ml], hs-CRP[(219.36 ± 22.02)ng/ml vs. (266.97 ± 15.80)ng/ml] in DHXS group were significantly decreased ( P<0.05), and the expression level of p-NF-κB (0.49 ± 0.07 vs. 0.84 ± 0.12) and MCP-1 (0.44 ± 0.02 vs. 0.64 ± 0.11) in renal tissue of rats in DHXS group were significantly reduced ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Rehmanniae Radix combined with Scrophulariae Radix can protect kidney by inhibiting the over activation of NF-κB, and reducing the expression of MCP-1 related protein to reduce renal micro inflammation.