Resveratrol suppresses the myofibroblastic phenotype and fibrosis formation in kidneys via proliferation-related signalling pathways.

Background And Purpose: Renal fibrosis acts as the common pathway leading to the development of end-stage renal disease. Previous studies have shown that resveratrol has anti-fibrotic activity, but its potential molecular mechanisms of action are not well understood.

Experimental Approach: The anti-fibrotic effects of resveratrol were assayed in a rat model of unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) in vivo and in fibroblasts and tubular epithelial cells (TECs) stimulated by TGF-β1 in vitro.

Sedum sarmentosum Bunge extract alleviates inflammation and kidney injury via inhibition of M1-macrophage polarization.

Background: Sedum sarmentosum Bunge extract (SSBE) has been used traditionally to treat liver inflammatory diseases in the Asian area.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of SSBE on renal injury.

Methods: We investigated whether SSBE has an anti-inflammatory effect by suppressing M1-macrophage polarization in rats with unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) and in cultured macrophages.

[RAPD study of populations of Glycine tabacina].

The ecological genetic research on Glycine tabacina populations was based on RAPD technique, which revealed 100% polymorphisms, with minimum value of 0.41 in population MM, and maximum value of 0.82 in population PT.

[A preliminary study on ingredient of secretion from fungi of orchid mycorrhiza].

Fusarium sp., which was not reported before in orchid mycorrhiza research, was isolated from the roots of Dendrobium desiflorum from Fujian Province by routine work of purification and identification. The results showed that the secretion contained Vitamin B2, B6, and folic acid, and mycelia contained Vitamin B2 and B6.