ABSTRACT
[ABSTRACT]AIM:Toobservetheeffectsofpuerarincombinedwithsaxagliptinonrenalfibrosisintype2dia-betic rats.METHODS:Fifty male Wistar rats were used, of which 8 rats were randomly chosen as normal control group , and the remaining rats were used to establish the type 2 diabetic model.The rats that met the criterion for the diabetic mo-del were randomly divided into model group , puerarin treatment group , saxagliptin treatment group , puerarin combined with saxagliptin treatment group and metformin combined with saxagliptin treatment group .The above-mentioned drugs were ad-ministered for 8 weeks.After that period, all rats were sacrificed.The kidney index (kidney weight/body weight),and blood glucose and HbA1c were examined in all the rats.The morphological changes were observed by HE and Masson stai-ning.The levels of TNF-αand macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) in the serum were measured by ELISA .The mRNA expression of TNF-α, MIF and CD68 was examined by RT-PCR.RESULTS: Compared with normal group , the kidney index, blood glucose and HbA1c, the levels of TNF-αand MIF in the serum and the mRNA expression of TNF-α, MIF and CD68 were increased (P<0.05) in the kidney tissues of model group .Compared with model group , the kidney index, blood glucose and HbA1c, the levels of MIF and TNF-αin the serum and the mRNA expression of TNF-α, MIF and CD68 were decreased ( P<0.05) in puerarin combined with saxagliptin treatment group .CONCLUSION:Puerarin com-bined with saxagliptin reduces blood glucose , decreases MIF and TNF-α, and down-regulates the mRNA expression of TNF-α, MIF and CD68 in the kidney tissues of type 2 diabetic rats, which may contribute to the inhibition of renal fibrosis .