Protective effects of Notoginsenoside R2 on reducing lipid accumulation and mitochondrial dysfunction in diabetic nephropathy through regulation of c-Src.

Background: The treatment options to delay the progression of diabetic nephropathy (DN), a key contributor to chronic kidney disease (CKD), are urgently needed. Previous studies reported that traditional Chinese medicine Panax notoginseng (PNG) exerted beneficial effects on DN. However, the renoprotective effects of Notoginsenoside R2 (NR2), an active component of PNG, on DN have not been investigated.