OBJECTIVETo observe the changes of blood glucose, urinary protein and renal glomerular morphology in rats with diabetic nephropathy, and the effect of xiaoke granule (XKG) on them.

METHODSThe diabetic nephropathy model was established by 3/4 nephrectomy and once intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ). The experimental rats were divided into the model group, the XKG group, the positive control group and the sham operation group. Blood was taken from rat's caudal vein to test the fasting blood glucose (FBG) once every week after STZ injection and at the same time, urinary protein in 24 hrs (UP/24h) was investigated. All the rats were sacrificed 2, 6 weeks after STZ injection and morphological examination on their kidney was performed.

RESULTSSix weeks after STZ injection, glomerular sclerosis in various degrees was seen in the model group, but the pathological change was significantly milder in the treated groups. FBG in the model group was higher than that in the sham operation group at all time points respectively (P<0.05), while in the XKG group and the positive control group, the change was improved significantly. UP/24h in the model group was higher than that in the sham operation group at all time points respectively, and that in the XKG group at 1, 2 and 3 weeks after STZ injection was significantly lower than that in the model group. FBG and UP/24h showed a positive correlation.

CONCLUSIONA rat model of diabetic nephropathy was duplicated successfully. The elevated blood glucose level in diabetic nephropathy model could induce proteinuria. One of the routes of treatment of diabetic nephropathy by XKG is to reduce the blood glucose, eliminate the proteinuria, and thus to improve the pathological change in renal glomeruli.