Effects of tangshen tang on glomerular mesangial cell proliferation in rats

Kefu CHAI; Rui CHAI; Yali WANG

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

Glomerular mesangial cell (GMC) is the chief target cell of diabetic nephrosis. A series of functional alternations on mesangial cell (MC) in high glucose condition results in constant development of the disease. Intervention of Chinese herb is very significant in retarding the progression of diabetic nephrosis.

OBJECTIVE:

To probe into GMC proliferation in high glucose condition and the effects of serum with tangshen tang contained on it.

DESIGN:

Controlled experiment was designed.

SETTING:

Laboratory Room of Second Affiliated Hospital to Zhejiang College of Traditional Chinese Medicine.MATERIALS MCs of SD rats were taken as experimental objects collected from Internal Department of Kidney of Shanghai First People's Hospital in August 2003.Totally 45 SD rats of clean grade were employed from Experimental Animal Center of Zhejiang College of Chinese Medicine, of either sex,weighted with (180±20)g in October 2003 and they were prepared as the animals with herb-contained serum. Tangshen tang [composed of dahuang (Rhubarb), taoren (Semen Persicae), chong (insects), huangqi (Radix Astragali seu Hedysari), digupi (Cortex Lycii Radicis), huanglian (Rhizoma Coptidis),etc.] was concentrated as 3 g/mL after decoction and infiltration at ratio.

METHODS:

SD rats were randomized as normal group, tangshen tang group and captopril group, 15 rats in each. The serums with tangshen tang and captopril of different doses were applied in MCs. In normal group,gastric perfusion of equal volume of distilled water was applied everyday.Trypan blue staining and MTT method were used respectively to assay the effects on MC toxicity and proliferation after medication.MAIN OUTCOME

MEASURES:

Activity of GMC in rats after stimulation of medical-contained serums and cellproliferation.liferation was inhibited (P ＜ 0.05 , vs blank group) in constant high-glucose condition and the inhibited proliferation due to high glucose was reversed to various extents after the intervention of tangshentang and captoter the intervention of medical-contained serums on GMCs in rats in every group (cell activity was up to over 94% and P ＞ 0.05, vs blank group).

CONCLUSION:

High glucose inhibits MC proliferation and tangshentang stimulates MC proliferation.