Xuezhikang ameliorates contrast media-induced nephropathy in rats via suppression of oxidative stress, inflammatory responses and apoptosis

Figures & data

Table 1. Renal functional parameters in study groups.

	Sham	XZK	CM	CM + ATO	CM + XZK
	(n = 10)	(n = 10)	(n = 10)	(n = 10)	(n = 10)
BUN (mg/dl)	7.62 ± 0.27	7.60 ± 0.31	8.95 ± 0.18^a	8.76 ± 0.39^b	8.70 ± 0.23^b
Scr (μmol/l)	22.85 ± 0.97	23.02 ± 0.50	27.18 ± 0.72^a	24.50 ± 0.78^b	24.68 ± 0.81^b

Data were expressed as means ± SEM.

^a p < 0.01, versus group sham and XZK.

^b p < 0.05, versus group CM.

Figure 1. (A) MDA concentration of study groups. (B) Glutathione concentration of study groups. (C) TNF-α relative expression in study groups. (D) IL-6 relative expression in study groups. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01 versus group sham and XZK; #p < 0.05, ##p < 0.01 versus group CM; &p < 0.05, versus group CM + ATO. n = 10. Values are mean ± SEM.

Table 2. Nitric oxide and nitrite/nitrate levels (nmol/mg protein) in study groups (mean ± SEM).

	Sham	XZK	CM	CM + ATO	CM + XZK
	(n = 10)	(n = 10)	(n = 10)	(n = 10)	(n = 10)
Nitrite/nitrate (nmol/mg)	2.12 ± 0.10	2.17 ± 0.14	1.53 ± 0.08^a	2.09 ± 0.11^b	2.28 ± 0.10^c
Nitrite (nmol/mg)	0.77 ± 0.096	0.66 ± 0.058	0.64 ± 0.078	0.61 ± 0.085	1.00 ± 0.044^d
Nitrate (nmol/mg)	1.35 ± 0.11	1.45 ± 0.15	0.96 ± 0.10	1.47 ± 0.14	1.23 ± 0.15

^a p < 0.05 versus group sham and XZK.

^b p < 0.05.

^c p < 0.01 versus group CM.

^d p < 0.05 versus group CM and CM + ATO.

Figure 2. Histological changes of renal tissue in study groups (H&E staining, scale bar, 100 μm). (A) Tubular necrosis. Tubular necrosis was graded as follows: no damage (0), mild (1, patchy isolated damage), moderate (2, damage less than 25%), severe (3, damage between 25 and 50%), and very severe (4, more than 50% damage). (B) Medullary congestion, The degree of medullary congestion was defined as follows: no congestion (0), mild (1, vascular congestion with identification of erythrocytes by ×400 magnification), moderate (2, vascular congestion with identification of erythrocytes by ×200 magnification), severe (3, vascular congestion with identification of erythrocytes by ×100 magnification) and very severe (4, vascular congestion with identification of erythrocytes by ×40 magnification). (C) Proteinaceous casts. Proteinaceous casts were graded as follows: no damage (0), mild (1, unicellular, patchy isolated damage), moderate (2, damage less than 25%), severe (3, damage between 25 and 50%), and very severe (4, more than 50% damage). *p < 0.01 versus group sham and group XZK; #p < 0.05, ##p < 0.01 versus group CM. n = 10. Values are mean ± SEM.

Figure 3. TUNEL staining in study groups. TUNEL-positive cells were stained brightly green. Scale bar, 100 μm. *p < 0.01 versus group sham and group XZK; #p < 0.01 versus group CM. n = 10. Values are mean ± SEM.

Figure 4. (A) Bax and Bcl-2 protein expression by Western blotting. (B) The ratio of Bcl-2/Bax expression. *p < 0.01 versus group sham, group XZK and group CM + XZK. Western blots were repeated at least by three independent times.