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Kidney Week

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Abstract: TH-PO510

Renoprotective Effect of Astragalus Root in a Rat Model of CKD

Session Information

  • CKD: Mechanisms - I
    November 07, 2019 | Location: Exhibit Hall, Walter E. Washington Convention Center
    Abstract Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Category: CKD (Non-Dialysis)

  • 2103 CKD (Non-Dialysis): Mechanisms

Authors

  • Yamada, Nozomi, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan
  • Fujii, Hideki, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan
  • Goto, Shunsuke, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan
  • Watanabe, Kentaro, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan
  • Kono, Keiji, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan
  • Nishi, Shinichi, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan

Group or Team Name

  • Division of Nephrology and Kidney Center
Background

Astragalus root is a commonly used herb in traditional Chinese medicine. Although it has been reported to have a renoprotective effect in clinical and animal studies, the pathophysiological mechanism remains unknown. In the present study, we examined the details of the renoprotective property of astragalus root using a rat model of chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Methods

CKD was induced by 5/6 nephrectomy using male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats. At 10 weeks, rats were classified into four groups and were orally administered vehicle (CKD), low-dose astragalus (LA, 400 mg/kg), and high-dose astragalus (HA, 800 mg/kg) once a day, except in the sham group (the sham, CKD, LA, and HA group). At 14 weeks, the rats were sacrificed for the evaluation of blood and urine samples and mRNA expression and histopathology in the kidney.

Results

At 14 weeks, the progression of kidney dyfunction was significantly slowed by administration of astragalus root (creatinine clearance: sham group; 3.8±0.3 mL/min, CKD group; 1.5±0.2 mL/min, LA group; 2.5±0.3 mL/min, HA group; 2.7±0.1 mL/min). Blood pressure and proteinuria also decreased in the astragalus root-treated groups. The urinary 8-OHdG excretion, which is an oxidative stress marker, decreased in the astragalus root-treated groups (sham group; 451.6±29.6 ng/day, CKD group; 1173.2±91.9 ng/day, LA group; 768.3±68.5 ng/day, HA group; 745.1±40.8 ng/day), and astragalus also decreased the oxidative stress score in the kidney, which was evaluated by immunostaining. In addition, mRNA expression of NADPH p22 and p47, renin and AT1R in the kidney decreased in the astragalus root-treated groups compared to the CKD group (Figure 1).

Conclusion

Our study suggested that astragalus root slowed the progression of CKD possibly through the suppression of oxidative stress.