Effects of Jianpi Qinghua Recipe on angiotensin II/NADPH oxidase pathway in 5/6 nephrectomized rats

Abstract

To study the effect of Jianpi Qinghua Recipe ( JPQHR) on angiotensin II/NADPH oxidase pathway in 5/6 nephrectomized rat renal failure model and the underlying mechanisms. The animals were divided into 4 groups: the sham-operated group, the renal failure group, the JPQHR-treated group and the losartan-treated group. After 60-days therapy, serum nitrogen and creatinine were measured. The expression of angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1) protein and the expression of p47phox mRNA in renal tissue was determined. SOD and MDA were also examined. Compared with the sham-operated group, the levels of SCr and serum BUN and the AT1 protein and p47phox mRNA expression in the renal failure group were significantly increased. The activities of SOD in renal tissue from the renal failure group was significantly down-regulated while MDA was up-regulated (P<0.05). Compared with the renal failure group, the levels of SCr and serum BUN and the AT1 protein and p47phox mRNA expression in both JPQHR-treated group and losartan-treated group were significantly decreased. The activities of SOD in renal tissue from JPQHR-treated group and losartan-treated group were significantly up-regulated whereas the content of MDA were down-regulated (P<0.05). Compared with the losartan-treated group, the activities of SOD in renal tissue from the JPQHR-treated group was obviously increased (P<0.05), the decrease in AT1 protein and p47phox mRNA was more evident but not statistically different (P>0.05). The level of SCr and serum BUN and the content of MDA were also not statistically different (P>0.05). Through decrease the expression of angiotensin II and NADPH oxidase, JPQHR can reduce the oxidative stress in chronic renal failure and delay the renal fibrosis progression.