AIM:To observe effect of mixture of chaihu and
huangqin on urine protein and lipid metabolism in rats with diabetic nephropathy.
METHODS:The experiment was completed in the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine,the First Military Medical University of Chinese PLA from June to December 2003.Totally 32 Wistar rats were divided randomly into model control group, high-
dosage group, middle-dosage group and low-dosage group with 8 in each group.Rats were injected intravenously with streptozotocin (STZ) to establish models of diabetic nephropathy.Rats were perfused with saline in model control group, with 1.8 g/kg mixture of chaihu and
huangqin in low-dosage group, with 7.2 g/kg and 3.6 g/kg mixture of chaihu and huangqin in high-dosage and middle-dosage groups, respectively. Twelve weeks after treatment, changes of blood glucose, 24-hour urine protein, 24-hour excretory rate of urine albumin, cholesterol, triacylglycerol (TG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Mixture of chaihu and huangqin was provided by Guangzhou Yifang Pharmaceutical Factory, and xiao-si-wu granule was consisted of Chinese thorowax root,baikal skullcap root,Pinellia tuber,ginseng,largehead atractylodes rhizome, etc. RESULTS: Totally 32 rats entered the final analysis. ① Contents of 24-hour urine protein were (56.20±11.30, 44.22±10.68, 39.22±18.44) mg/24 hours in low-, middle-and high-dosage groups respectively, and (64.74±16.34) mg/24 hours in model control group. Quantity of 24-hour urine protein was lower in middle-and high-dosage groups than that in model control group (P < 0.05), and there was significant difference between low-dosage group and high-dosage group (P < 0.05). ② Quantities of 24-hour urine albumin were (0.27±0.43, 1.07±0.26, 1.08±0.29) mg/24 hours in low-, middle- and high-dosage groups respectively, which were all lower than that (1.84±0.74) mg/24 hours in model control group (P < 0.05), and there was no significant difference among dosage groups. ③ Contents of cholesterol were (1.48±0.15, 1.21±0.12, 1.13±0.12, 1.19±0.11) mmol/L, and contents of TG were (1.10±0.27, 0.74±0.17, 0.65±0.13, 0.70±0.12) mmol/L in dosage groups and model group.Contents in dosages groups were lower than those in control group(P < 0.05),ut there was no significant difference among dosage groups. CONCLUSION: Mixture of chaihu and huangqin can decrease contents of urine protein and excretion of albumin and regulate lipid metabolism of rats with diabetic nephropathy.