ABSTRACT
The present study aimed to investigate the effects of pueraria on streptozotocine (STZ)-induced renal damage and its possible mechanisms. Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups: the normal control group, diabetes untreated model group, two dosages (140 and 200 mg per kg bw per day) of puerarin treatment groups and a positive control group. Rats were studied 30 days after the STZ treatment, and the diabetes untreated model group presented significantly higher kidney index, blood glucose, triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), malondialdehyde (MDA), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), and IFN-γ/IL-4 levels, lower body weight, fasting blood insulin (FPI), IL-4, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and nitric oxide (NO) levels and worse renal function (higher blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (SCr), urine protein (UP) levels and glomerular extracellular matrix (relative area)) compared with the normal control group (p < 0.05). Furthermore, RT-FQ-PCR and western blot analyses showed that TGF-ß1, Smad2, CTGF and FN protein and mRNA expression was significantly increased in the diabetes untreated model group compared with the normal control group. In contrast, the puerarin treatment dose-dependently significantly decreased the kidney index, blood glucose, TG, TC, MDA, IFN-γ, and IFN-γ/IL-4 levels, increased the body weight, FPI, IL-4, SOD, CAT, GSH-Px and NO levels and improved the renal function (lower BUN, SCr, UP levels and glomerular extracellular matrix (relative area)) in puerarin treatment groups (p < 0.05). In addition, the mRNA and protein expression of TGF-ß1, Smad2, CTGF and FN was downregulated. It can be concluded that puerarin exerted its anti-diabetic effect on the STZ-treated rats through the inhibition of the TGF-ß1/Smad2 pathway.
Subject(s)
Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental/drug therapy , Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage , Isoflavones/administration & dosage , Oxidative Stress/drug effects , Smad2 Protein/metabolism , Transforming Growth Factor beta1/metabolism , Animals , Blood Glucose/metabolism , Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental/genetics , Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental/metabolism , Humans , Interferon-gamma/genetics , Interferon-gamma/metabolism , Interleukin-4/genetics , Interleukin-4/metabolism , Male , Malondialdehyde/metabolism , Pueraria/chemistry , Rats , Rats, Wistar , Signal Transduction/drug effects , Smad2 Protein/genetics , Transforming Growth Factor beta1/geneticsABSTRACT
In this study, extraction yield of Eucommia ulmoides polysaccharides was optimized by the utilization of response surface methodology (RSM). Based on contour plots and variance analysis, optimum operational conditions for maximizing extraction yield were found to be extraction time 80 min, ratio of water to raw material 3, and extraction number 3. Then, we investigated the protective effect of the E. ulmoides polysaccharides on the tissue peroxidative damage and abnormal antioxidant levels in ischemia reperfusion (IR) induced renal toxicity in male albino rabbits. Decrease in all the enzymes (superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), glutathione reductase (GR)) and non-enzymatic antioxidant (glutathione (GSH)), along with an increase in the lipid peroxidative index (malondialdehyde) was found in all the renal ischemia reperfusion (RIR) rabbits as compared with normal controls. The findings indicate that the extract of E. ulmoides polysaccharides can protect the kidney against IR induced oxidative damage in rabbits.
Subject(s)
Antioxidants/isolation & purification , Antioxidants/pharmacology , Chemical Fractionation/methods , Eucommiaceae/chemistry , Polysaccharides/isolation & purification , Polysaccharides/pharmacology , Animals , Cytoprotection/drug effects , Kidney/cytology , Kidney/drug effects , Kidney/metabolism , Male , Oxidative Stress/drug effects , Rabbits , Reperfusion Injury/metabolism , Reperfusion Injury/pathologyABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of varicocel (VC) on expression of apoptosis associated gene Bcl-2 and Bax in spermatogenic cells of adolescent rats, and investigate the mechanism of the infertility resulting from varicocele. METHODS: The varicocele model was created by partial ligation of the left renal vein in the adolescent rats, two and four and eight weeks after creation of the varicocele model, the expressions of Bcl-2 and Bax were detected by immunohistochemical method. RESULTS: With the duration of varicocele model, the Bcl-2 expression in experiment group was decreased as compared with that in control group. And in experiment group, the Bcl-2 expression level was lower in left testis than in right testis. But Bax expression in experiment group was increased as compared with that in control group, and in experiment group, the Bax expression level was higher in left testis than in right testis. CONCLUSION: Experimental varicocele could change obviously expression of apoptosis associated gene Bcl-2 and Bax in spermatogenic cells of adolescent rats.
