Berberine improves kidney function in diabetic mice via AMPK activation.

Diabetic nephropathy is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in diabetic patients. Effective therapies to prevent the development of this disease are required. Berberine (BBR) has several preventive effects on diabetes and its complications.

Mesenchymal stem cells transplantation ameliorates glomerular injury in streptozotocin-induced diabetic nephropathy in rats via inhibiting macrophage infiltration.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) treatment has been shown to be effective in diabetic nephropathy (DN). However, the mechanisms involved in the renoprotective effects of MSCs have not been clearly demonstrated. Especially, there was no study on the relationship of MSCs and macrophages in diabetic kidney.