RESUMEN
Objective To investigate the effects of glycyrrhizin-18? on the expressions of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and transforming growth factor-?1 (TGF-?1) in renal interstitium in rats with obstructive nephropathy. Methods A total of 100 Wistar rats were divided into experiment group (include prophylaxis group with glycyrrhizin-18?, glycyrrhizin-18? treatment group, and group with normal saline) and control group (sham operation group). Models of rats with obstructive nephropathy were established by unilateral ureteral ligation. The rats were sacrificed at 7, 14, 28, and 56 d after operation and specimens were taken from the renal cortex. The morphopathological changes in the renal interstitium were observed byr light and electron microscopy. CTGF, TGF-?1, and collagen type Ⅲ were detected by immunohistochemical staining. The measured data were evaluated by EIG image analysis system. Results In the renal interstitium, there was progressive fibrosis in the model. Semi-quantitative analysis indicated that the expression levels of CTGF, TGF-?1, and collagen type Ⅲ in the renal interstitium in glycyrrhizin-18? treatment and prophylaxis groups were markedly higher than those in the sham operation group (P0.05). The expression of CTGF in the renal interstitium was closely correlated with those of TGF-?1 and collagen type Ⅲ (P