t was found in our previous studies that two Chi-nese herbs, Astragali and
Angelica (A & A) , with ahigh protein diet
could protect the decrease of serum alburnin and
markedly increase the synthesis rate of pro-tein by 15N-glycine metabolic study in
nephrotic rats. Afurther experiment was designed to investigate the ef-fects of A&A and high
protein intake
on the level ofhepatic albumin's mRNA in nephrotic rats. Male S. D.rats were divided into 3
groups: high protein diet alone(39. 7%HP) ; HP with nephrotic syndrome (HPN ) ;and HPN with
thearapy (HPNT). Nephrotic syndromein rat was induced by accelerated nephrotoxic
nephritis,withfed A&A (2g of each in 3ml) daily for 14 days. Atthe 15th day, the serum and liver
were collected and thelevel of serum albumin and mRNA were measured withbiochemistry,
Northern blot, dot blot hybridization andquantity in laser density screening. The level of
serumalbumin in HPNT was higher than that of HPN (3. 7 ±0. 1 vs 2. 9± 0. 29, PM0. 01) with
an unchanged uri-nary output. The level of hepatic albumin mRNA inHPNT was higher than HPN
(2. 56 ± 0. 24 vs 1. 7 ±0. 12, P<0.01) and HP (2. 56±0. 24 vs 1. 25±0. 24,P<0. 01). We
conclude that in a molecular biologic lev-el A & A combined with high protein intake could
in-crease the albumin systhesis in the liver of nephrotic rat.