TCM demonstrates therapeutic effects in slowing progression of chronic kidney disease

Researchers from the Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine investigated the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of jian pi yi shen formula (JPYSF) in treating chronic kidney disease. The results of their study were published in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

• JPYSF is a Chinese herbal decoction that has been used for treating chronic kidney disease. It is used to fortify the spleen and tonify the kidney, as well as to activate blood and resolve stasis. However, the mechanisms for these efficacy remains unclear.
• The researchers aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effects and possible mechanisms of JPYSF on retarding the progression of chronic kidney disease in 5/6 nephrectomized (5/6 Nx) rats. They administered perindopril (4?mg/kg/d) and JPYSF (2.72?g/kg/d) to 5/6 Nx rats by gavage every day for six?weeks.
• They evaluated the therapeutic effects of JPYSF by renal function, pathological injury, and fibrosis. They also measured the protein levels associated with mitochondrial quality control network using Western blot and immunofluorescence analysis.
• The 5/6 Nx rats exhibited a significant decline in renal function as evidenced by increased serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, and urinary protein excretion. There was also significant injury in kidney structure as evidenced by glomerular hypertrophy, tubular atrophy, and interstitial fibrosis.
• The kidneys of 5/6 Nx rats showed unbalanced mitochondrial quality control network manifested as decreased mitochondrial biogenesis, fusion, and mitophagy, and increased mitochondrial fission.
• JPYSF-treated rats showed improvements in both renal function and kidney structure. JPYSF treatment also showed potential in restoring aspects of the mitochondrial quality control network.

Based on these results, it was concluded that treatment with JPYSF can ameliorate 5/6 Nx-induced chronic kidney disease, which may be related to modulation of the mitochondrial quality control network.

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Journal Reference:

Liu X, Chen J, Liu X, Wang D, Zheng P, Qi A, Yi T, Li S. JIAN-PI-YI-SHEN FORMULA AMELIORATES CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE: INVOLVEMENT OF MITOCHONDRIAL QUALITY CONTROL NETWORK. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2018;18(1). DOI: 10.1186/s12906-018-2395-2