Qiguiyishen decoction reduced the accumulation of extracellular matrix in the kidneys of rats with adriamycin-induced nephropathy

OBJECTIVE： To investigate the effect of Qiguiyish- en decoction （QGYS） on the severity of nephropa- thy. METHODS： Twenty-four rats were randomly divid- ed into four groups （ Ⅰ,Ⅱ,Ⅲ, IV） according to the random number table. Group I as control group did not establish nephropathy model. Groups Ⅱ, Ⅲ, and IV were intravenously administered Adria- mycin （7.5 mg/kg） through the tail vein to establish nephropathy model. QGYS was prepared with the extracts of Huangqi （RadixAstragali Mongolici）, Dan- ggui （Radix Angelicae Sinensis）, Niuxi （Radix Achyran-this Bidentatae）, and Chuanxiong （Rhizoma Chuanx- iong）. Group IV was administered QGYS （2 mL. kg^-1· d^-1）, groupⅢ was administered benazepril （10 mL. kg^-1·d^-1）, and group ⅠⅡ was administered water （2 mL. kg·^-1. d^-1） once daily for eight weeks. RESULTS： QGYS reduced the excretion of urinary protein and N-acetyH3-D-glucosaminidase and alle- viated the accumulation of extracellular matrix （ECM） in renal tissue. Additionally, QGYS effectively regulated the levels of transforming growth factor, tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase, and matrix metalloproteinases in the kidney of the rats. CONCLUSION-＂ QGYS may reduce the accumulation of ECM in the kidneys of rats with Adriamycin-in- duced nephropathy.