Asian Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Qizhi decoction prevent diabetic nephropathy through reducing inflammation and protection of endothelial cells

Min Cunyun, *, Huang Xuhui, Fu Tingting, Du Yu, Wang Changjun

The Integrated Division of Chinese and Western Medicine, Guangdong General hospital, Guangdong academy of Geriatrics, China

Abstract

Background: Low grade inflammation and endothelial cells dysfunction are the basic pathological change of diabetic nephropathy (DN) . Two or three kinds of Chinese herbs combined together organically can resolve these problem at the same time. It costs less money and have less side effects than chemical medicine does.

Materials and Methods: One hundred and fifty five patients diagnosed with DN were randomly divided into two groups. The treatment group was treated with Chinese medicine, the Qizhi decoction, in combination with symptomatic treatment with Western medicine, whereas the control group received only Western medicine. The serum inflammatory parameters C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), monocyte chemo-attractant protein-1(MCP-1), and the endothelial cells dysfunction parameters endothelin (ET1), nitric oxide (NO), Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1(VCAM-1) were evaluated.

Results: Glycosylated hemoglobin and plasma glucose levels were lower in the treatment group, albeit without significance. CRP, TNF-α, MCP-1, ET1, ICAM-1, VCAM-1 declined significantly in the treatment groups after treatment. NO increased in the treatment groups after treatment. The urine albumin level and urine protein/creatinine ratio significantly decreased in groups after treatment. Conversely, no obvious changes were observed in the control group.

Conclusion: The Qizhi decoction can significantly reduce chronic inflammation and protection endothelial cells in patients with diabetic nephropathy.

Keywords:

Chinese medicine; inflammation; endothelial cell; diabetic nephropathy