Chinese medicines in the treatment of experimental diabetic nephropathy

Abstract

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a severe micro vascular complication accompanying diabetes mellitus that affects millions of people worldwide. End-stage renal disease occurs in nearly half of all DN patients, resulting in large medical costs and lost productivity. The course of DN progression is complicated, and effective and safe therapeutic strategies are desired. While the complex nature of DN renders medicines with a single therapeutic target less efficacious, Chinese medicine, with its holistic view targeting the whole system of the patient, has exhibited efficacy for DN management. This review aims to describe the experimental evidence for Chinese medicines in DN management, with an emphasis on the underlying mechanisms, and to discuss the combined use of herbs and drugs in DN treatment.

Effects of Dangguibuxue decoction on rat glomerular mesangial cells cultured under high glucose conditions

“…DBD has been used as a clinical agent against renal dysfunction for more than 1, 000 year in China [ 10 – 15 ]. In recent years, several investigations have highlighted its beneficial action on diabetic nephropathy.…”

“…DBD was shown to enhance bone regeneration [ 6 ], attenuate pulmonary fibrosis [ 7 ], stimulate proliferation of T-lymphocytes proliferation [ 8 ], and treat ailments by phosphorylating estrogen receptors [ 9 ]. Therapeutic effects of DBD in kidney-related disorders such as renal anemia and diabetic nephropathy have been recently reported [ 10 – 15 ]. DBD was shown to induce erythropoietin expression via hypoxia-inducible factor-1α signaling pathway in the kidneys [ 16 ], to alleviate renal damage in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats [ 10 ], and to reduce adriamycin-induced nephropathy in rats [ 17 ].…”

Hyperuricemia research progress in model construction and traditional Chinese medicine interventions

“…The total saponins in DPT can decrease UA production by inhibiting the activities of XO and ADA. Liu (2019) reported that total pangolin saponin could effectively adjust the mRNA and protein levels of URAT1, GLUT9, OAT1, and OAT3 and promote renal urate excretion in PO-induced HUA mice.…”

Coadjuvants in the Diabetic Complications: Nutraceuticals and Drugs with Pleiotropic Effects

“…Polyphenolic compounds are widely found in plants and provide several pharmacological properties, including antidiabetic effects [ 66 , 67 , 68 ]. Although not focused in the present discussion, it is important to recognize that the Chinese medicine has demonstrated the efficacy of several natural products that have been used in the treatment of DM as reviewed elsewhere [ 69 ]. In this subsection, the main polyphenols with potential antidiabetic activity investigated by us as well as others will be addressed.…”