OBJECTIVETo study the effect of Yanggan Yishui Granule (YGYSG) on 12-week-old spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) on plasma angiotensin II (Ang II), transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1), connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) content and renal cortical Ang II, TGF-beta1, CTGF mRNA expressions, and to further explore the mechanism of YGYSG in the kidney protection.

METHODSForty 12-week-old male SHR were randomized into the model group, the Bella Plymouth group (at the daily dose of 1.8 mg/kg), the YGYSG low dose group (at the daily dose of 5.4 g/kg), and the YGYSG high dose group (at the daily dose of 27 g/kg), 10 in each group. Another ten Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats were included as the control group. Equal volume of normal saline was given to SHR by gastrogavage in the model group and the normal control group, once a day for six weeks. The plasma Ang II, TGF-beta1 and CTGF concentrations, and the renal cortical Ang II, TGF-beta1, CTGF mRNA expressions were measured in each group.

RESULTSBella Plymouth was superior to YGYSG in reducing plasma Ang II, TGF-beta1 and CTGF, while the high and low dose YGYSG showed no significant difference (P>0.05). In reducing plasma Ang II, TGF-beta1 and CTGF mRNA expressions, low doses YGYSG was similar to the role of Bella Plymouth, and the role of high dose YGYSG was superior to low dose YGYSG and Bella Plymouth.

CONCLUSIONYGYSG played a role in kidney protection mainly through reducing the Ang II , TGF-beta1 and CTGF expressions of kidney.