OBJECTIVETo observe the protective effect on renal function of Chinese drugs combined with benazepril in patients with diabetic nephropathy (DN).

METHODSAdopting stratified randomized and controlled design, 108 patients with DN were assigned to two groups. Besides the same measures of diet regulation, exercise, education, hypoglycemic and symptomatic treatment applied, benazepril was administered to all patients, and Chinese drugs were given to patients in the treated group additionally. The treatment course was 3 months. The changes before and after treatment of symptoms and signs, 24-h urinary protein (24 hUpro), serum creatinine (SCr), serum creatinine clearance rate (CCr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), plasma glucose (PG) and blood pressure (BP) were observed, and the time of dialysis therapy initiating was recorded.

RESULTSSCr and 24 hUpro decreased and CCr increased in the treated group significantly (P < 0.01), and the improvement were superior to that in the control group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), the renal living time in the treated group was longer than that in the control group, but no significant different in BUN, PG and BP was found between the two groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe treatment program of Chinese drugs combined with benazepril could obviously reduce the levels of SCr and 24 hUpro, increase CCr in patients with DN, and its effect in improving renal function is better than that of using benazepril alone.