OBJECTIVETo explore the impacts of Yishen Jiangzhuo Granule (YJG) on peripheral blood B-cells and regulatory T-cells (Treg) in patients with chronic renal insufficiency (CRI).

METHODSFifty-three CRI patients were randomly assigned to two groups, the control group and the YJG group. Before and after treatment, the following parameters in blood were detected: the peripheral Treg, percentage (CD19+), activation rate (CD19+ CD69+) and apoptotic rate (AV) of B-lymphocyte by flow cytometry; cytokines (IL-6 and IL-10) by CBA stream protein analyzing system; high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) by scattering turbidimetric analysis; homocysteine (Hcy) by end-point method; hemoglobin (HGB) content by Beckman-Coulter hemo-analyser; blood contents of Ca, phosphate (P), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (SCr) and plasma albumin (Alb) by automatic biochemical analyser; and urinary contents of creatinine (UCr) by inverse HPLC. Then the product of calcium-phosphate (Ca x P) was calculated based on blood contents of Ca2 and P and the clearance rate of endogenous creatinine (CCr) was calculated based on blood BUN and SCr.

RESULTSAfter treatment CD19+ and CCr significantly increased (P < 0.01), but AV and SCr decreased in both groups (P < 0.01), with the changes in the YJG group were more significant than those in the control group (P < 0.05); levels of CD19+ CD69+, Treg, IL-6, IL-10, CRP, BUN, P and Ca x P showed no significant change (P > 0.05); levels of Ca2+, HGB and Alb increased as well as of Hcy in both groups (P < 0.05). Correlation analysis: There were negative correlation in CD19+ with AV and Hcy; Alb with AV and Hcy; CCr with CRP, SCr and BUN, while positive correlation existed in SCr with CRP and BUN; and CRP with BUN.

CONCLUSIONSYJG can improve renal function, and delay the progress of renal failure, and it also shows the regulatory effect on B lymphocytes by lowering the apoptosis rate and improving the percentage of CD19+ in patients.