Salvia Miltiorrhiza Injection Ameliorates Renal Interstitial Fibrosis In Obstructive Nephropathy In Rats

ObjectiverTo study the mechanism of the effects of Salvia Miltiorrhiza Injection on renal interstitial fibrosis caused by unilateral ureteral obstruction(UUO) in rats.Methods:30 female Sprague-dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups : sham-operated group(A),UUO group(B) and UUO with Salvia Miltiorrhiza Injection treated group(C).Under pentobarbitale sodium anesthesia the rat's left ureter was ligated with 0 silk at two points and cut between the ligatures.Then the unilateral ureteral obstructive rat model was established.Sham-operated rats had their ureters manipulated but not ligated.Salvia Miltiorrhiza Injection began to be administered intraperitoneally 24hours before surgery .Rats were killed after 10 days of UUO and the operated kidneys were collected.HE and PAS stain were used to evaluate the degree of pathological changes.Immunohistochemical stain was applied to measure TGF- 1, a -SMA and collagen I expression in the tubulointerstitium.Computer-assisted image analysis system was used to measure the relative volume of the cortical interstitium and for the semi-quantitative analysis ofimmimohistochemical study.At the same time,TGF- ImRNA expression in the obstruced kidney was analyzed with RT-PCR.Results:There were significant interstitial fibrosis,tubular basement membrane thickening,tubular dilation,epithelial cell necrosis and the interstitial space expansion in the obstructed kidneys of group B and C 10 days after UUO.The relative volume of the cortical interstitium was significantly increased in the obstructed kidneys compared with that of group A(P<0.01).However,the relative volume of the cortical interstitium in kidneys of group C was significantly decreased compared with that of group B(P<0.01).The semi-quantitative analysis results for immunohistochemical staining showed that TGF- 3 1, a -SMA and collagen I expression remarkbly increased in the obstructed kidneys of both group B and C compared with group A(P<0.01).In comparison with the model group, Salvia Miltiorrhiza Injection could significantly decrease the over-expression of TGF- P 1, a -SMA and collagen I .The expression of TGF-P ImRNA of group B was significantly increased compared with that of group A in the rat kidney cortex(P<0.01),while Salvia Miltiorrhiza Injection could down-regulate the expression of TGF- ImRNA compared with group B(P<0.01)Conclusions:Salvia Miltiorrhiza Injection could down-regulate the expression of TGF- 0 ImRNA and protein in theobstructed rats kidney 10 days after UUO.lt also decreased a -SMA expression and collagen I deposition in the obstructed rats renal tubulointerstitium.Salvia Miltiorrhiza Injection could ameliorate the pathological changes and prevent the progress of renal interstitial flbrosis caused by UUO in rats.