Effects of Tripterygium hypoglaucum on serum IL-1,IL-6,and TNF-α in chronic nephritis rats

Abstract

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects and mechanism of Tripterygium hypoglaucum (THH) on serum IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-alpha in chronic, nephritis rats. METHOD The rabbit serum of anti-rat kidney was initially prepared, and then injected into normal rats to induce the formation of chronic glomerulonephritis. In this model, THH was administrated for 4 weeks, while saline and prednisone were respectively used as negative and positive controls. Some of laboratory parameters were observed from the rats above. RESULT THH not only significantly decreased urine protein, reduced serum urea nitrogen, but also decreased the releases of inflammatory mediators (such as IL-1, IL-6 and TNF-alpha). CONCLUSION THH is effective in treating rat nephrotoxic serum glormerulonephritis, its mechanism probably related to decreasing inflammatory mediator levels.