Lycium barbarum polysaccharides ameliorates renal injury and inflammatory reaction in alloxan-induced diabetic nephropathy rabbits

AimsThis study was aimed to investigate the effect of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) on renal function and inflammatory reaction in rabbits with diabetic nephropathy.Main methodsDiabetes was induced by injecting alloxan (ALX). Japanese male white rabbits were randomly assigned into 5 groups: normal control group, diabetic nephropathy (DN) model group, LBP prevention group, positive control group and LBP treatment group. LBP (10 mg/kg) was given to the LBP prevention group after diabetes mellitus (DM) model succeeded for 12 weeks and to the LBP treatment group after DN model succeeded for 4 weeks. Telmisartan (3.7 mg/kg) was given to the positive group after DN model succeeded for 4 weeks, and the same volume of balanced saline was given to the normal group and DN group for 12 weeks. Urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (SCr), and C-reaction protein (CRP) in serum were detected at the end of the 12th week. The expression of MCP-1 mRNA and ICAM-1 mRNA extracted from cortex were detected by RT-PCR. Western blot analysis was carried out to examine NF-κB p65 protein expression.Key findingsLBP improves the renal function and alleviates the inflammatory reaction in the kidneys of diabetic rabbits. In addition, the prevention effect of LBP is better than the treatment effect of LBP.SignificanceLBP has obvious protective effect on the diabetic nephropathy rabbits' renal function and postpones the appearance and development of DN. The mechanisms may be related to the reduction the expression of MCP-1mRNA and ICAM-1mRNA by restraining the expression of NF-κB and AngII.