RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE@#To observe the effect of traditional Chinese medicine for intervention of phlegm and blood stasis in regulating TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling and relieving nephropathy in diabetic rats.@*METHODS@#SD rats were divided into blank group (NC), diabetic model group (MC group), intervention of phlegm and blood stasis (RPDBS) group, phlegm-removing (RP) group and blood-removing (DBS) group. Diabetic models were established in all the rats except for those in the blank group. After 4 weeks of feeding, the rats in RPDBS group, RP group and DBS group were given corresponding drug intervention for 8 weeks. HE staining was used to observe the changes in renal histopathology. Western blotting and real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR were used to detect the expression levels of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and Smad3.@*RESULTS@#The structure and arrangement of the glomeruli and renal tubules improved significantly in the treatment groups in comparison with those in the MC group. The expression levels of TGF-β1, Smad3 and p-Smad3 were significantly downregulated at both the protein and mRNA levels in the treatment groups ( < 0.05), and the down-regulation was more obvious in RPDBS group than in RP group and DBS group ( < 0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Intervention of phlegm and blood stasis may inhibit the activation of TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling pathway and delay diabetic nephropathy and fibrosis to protect the renal function in diabetic rats.