OBJECTIVETo study the renal protective effect of Paecilomyces hepiali Cs-4 (Abbr. to Cs-4) on rats with adriamycin-induced nephropathy (AIN).

METHODSTwenty-four male SD rats were randomly divided into four groups: the control group (A), the model group (B), the Benazepril group (C), and the Cs-4 group (D). AIN rat model was established by left unilateral nephrectomy and repeated caudal vein injection of adriamycin. Gastric perfusion of Cs-4 [500 mg/( kg x d)] and Benazepril [4 mg/( kg x d)] was given respectively to the groups D and C, starting from 1 week after modeling. Blood biochemical indices including blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatine (Scr) and 24-hour urinary protein excretion (24 h-UP) were assessed 4 and 8 weeks after medication. Rats were sacrificed at the end of 8-week medication, their renal tissue was get for pathological examination with electric microscopy, the expressions of fibronection (FN), collagen IV (COL-IV ) and osteopont (OPN) in renal tissue were assessed by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSLevels of 24h-UP, BUN, Scr, mesengial matrix percentage, as well OPN, FN, COL-IV were significantly lower in group D than in group B (P < 0.05); and the fat metabolic disorder was improved in group D (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONCs-4 displays its renal protective action in rats with AIN through reducing the urinary protein excretion, correcting lipid metabolic disturbance, inhibiting the over accumulation of extracellular matrix, improving the pathological damage of kidney, thus restoring the renal function.