Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Our previous study has already manifested that Chinese medicine Xiaokening (prepared rhubarb, radix aconiti lateralis preparata and astragalus) can effectively control the development of early diabetic nephropathy and gained a national patent (patent No.200410064899X)
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of Archen on the apoptosis of rat glomerular mesangial cells cultured with high glucose.
METHODS: Glomerular mesangial cells were stimulated by different concentrations of Archen (20, 40 and 80 μmol/L). The morphology of apoptotic cells was observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining. Karyon apoptosis was examined by fluorescence staining of 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole. Cell apoptosis rate was detected by flow cytometry.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The outcome of hematoxylin-eosin staining and 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole fluorescence staining indicated that Archen could obviously induce the apoptosis of glomerular mesangial cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. There was significant difference of the apoptosis rate between groups (P < 0.05). This result shows that Archen can obviously induce apoptosis of glomerular mesangial cells in dose- and time-dependent manner.