[Influence of long-term use of low dose caulis Aristolochiae manshuriensis on partial nephrectomized rats].

Objective: To study the effect of long-term use of low dose Caulis Aristolochiae Manshuriensis (CAM) on the deterioration of chronic renal failure rats.

Methods: The 5/6 nephrectomized Wistar rats were taken as animal model of chronic renal failure, which were divided into 3 groups. Group A was treated with 1 g/kg CAM decoction, the dose equivalent to that defined in the pharmacopoeia. Group B was treated with 3 g/kg CAM decoction and Group C treated with equal volume of tap water. Medication was given once per day by gastrogavage in all the three groups for 8 weeks. The serum creatinine, urea nitrogen, urinary protein content and morphological changes of kidney were observed.

Results: After 8 weeks treatment, levels of serum creatinine, urea nitrogen, urinary protein excretion in Group B were higher than those in Group C significantly, they were 165.0 +/- 15.6 mumol/L vs 109.8 +/- 10.0 mumol/L, 27.8 +/- 3.6 mmol/L vs 18.7 +/- 2.5 mmol/L and 68.2 +/- 10.1 mg/24 hrs vs 44.6 +/- 8.5 mg/24 hrs, respectively, all P < 0.05. The pathological changes of renal mesenchyme and degree of glomerulosclerosis were also heavier in Group B.

Conclusion: The susceptibility of chronic renal failure rats to the nephrotoxicity of CAM increases in long-term use of low dose CAM which could accelerate the deterioration of renal impairment in the model rats.