Abstract:Objective To observe the effect of Kudiezi injection on renal ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats and to investigate its possible mechanisms. Methods A total of 18 male Sprasue-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into three groups: sham group, model group (IRI group), and Kudiezi injection group (KDZ group). Serum creatinine (Scr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were detected by automatic biochemistry analyzer. The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the renal tissue was respectively assessed by relevant detection kits. Histopathological changes were observed after HE staining. The expression of interleukin 6 (IL-6) in the renal tissue was checked by immunohistochemistry. The content of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) was tested by ELISA. Results The levels of Scr, BUN and MDA in the renal tissue of the IRI group were significantly increased compared with the sham group, and the levels of Scr and BUN and MDA of the renal tssue in the KDZ group were between those in the sham group and the IRI group. The activity of SOD in the renal tissue of the IRI group was significantly lower than that of the sham group, while the activity of SOD in the renal tissue of the KDZ group was between that of the sham group and the IRI group. HE staining showed that the morphology and structure of renal tubules in the sham group were basically normal, only a very small number of shedding epithelial cells were observed in the lumen and a small amount of inflammatory cell infiltration was noted in the stroma. In the IRI group, vacuolar degeneration of renal tubular epithelial cells was seen, the tubular lumen became narrow even blocked, there were shedding cells and tubular casts in the lumen and evident stromal edema as well as obvious inflammatory cell infiltration in the stroma. In the KDZ group, degeneration of renal tubular epithelial cells was not apperent, a very small quantity of epithelial cells and tubular casts were noted in the lumen, slight stromal edema and slight inflammatory cell infiltration in the stroma were observed. The degree of pathological injury in the KDZ group was significantly lower than that in the IRI group. Immunohistochemistry showed that the expression of IL-6 in the sham group was very low, the expression of IL-6 in the IRI group was evidently higher than that in the sham group, and the expression of IL-6 in the KDZ group was evidently lower than that in the IRI group. ELISA showed that the content of ICAM-1 in both IRI and KDZ groups was higher than that in the sham group, but the content of ICAM-1 in the KDZ group was lower than that in the IRI group. Conclusions Kudiezi injection can reduce renal ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats, the mechanism is related to the inhibition of oxidative stress and reduction of inflammatory injury.