Volume 32, Issue 8 pp. 1574-1582
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Protective effects of sarsasapogenin against early stage of diabetic nephropathy in rats

Yao-Wu Liu

Corresponding Author

Yao-Wu Liu

Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004 Jiangsu, China

Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004 Jiangsu, China

These authors contributed equally to this study.

Correspondence

Yao-Wu Liu, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, No. 209, Tongshan Road, Xuzhou 221004, Jiangsu, China.

Email: [email protected]

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Yun-Chao Hao

Yun-Chao Hao

Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004 Jiangsu, China

These authors contributed equally to this study.Search for more papers by this author
Ya-Jing Chen

Ya-Jing Chen

Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004 Jiangsu, China

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Shen-Yuan Yin

Shen-Yuan Yin

Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004 Jiangsu, China

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Meng-Ya Zhang

Meng-Ya Zhang

Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004 Jiangsu, China

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Li Kong

Li Kong

Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004 Jiangsu, China

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Tao-Yun Wang

Tao-Yun Wang

College of Chemistry, Biology and Material Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, 215009 China

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First published: 23 April 2018
Citations: 55

Abstract

Rhizome of Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bunge (AA, family Liliaceae) has been widely used in China for thousands of years to treat febrile diseases and diabetes. Steroidal saponins from AA show good antidiabetes effects and ameliorate diabetic complications. This study was designed to investigate the effects of sarsasapogenin (Sar), a major sapogenin from AA, on diabetic nephropathy (DN) in rats, and to explore the possible mechanisms. Diabetic rats were divided into 3 groups treated orally with Sar (0, 20, or 60 mg/kg) and carboxymethylcellulose sodium, whereas normal rats for Sar (0 or 60 mg/kg) and carboxymethylcellulose sodium. We found that chronic treatment with Sar for 9 weeks significantly ameliorated renal dysfunction of diabetic rats, as evidenced by decreases in albuminuria, kidney weight index, serum uric acid, and morphologic changes such as extracellular matrix expansion and accumulation (fibronectin and collagen IV levels, etc.). Meanwhile, Sar treatment resulted in decreases in interleukin-18, NLRP3, and activated caspase 1 levels as well as advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) and their receptor (RAGE) levels in the renal cortex of diabetic rats. However, Sar has no effects on the above indices in the normal rats. Therefore, Sar can markedly ameliorate diabetic nephropathy in rats via inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome activation and AGEs–RAGE interaction.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

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