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Mechanisms and efficacy of traditional Chinese herb monomers in diabetic kidney disease

  • Nephrology - Review
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Abstract

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a serious complication of diabetes and is the primary cause of end-stage renal disease. Current treatment strategies primarily focus on the inhibition of the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system and the attainment of blood glucose control. Although current medical therapies for DKD have been shown to delay disease progression and improve long-term outcomes, their efficacy is limited and they may be restricted in certain cases, particularly when hyperkalemia is present. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatment has emerged as a significant complementary approach for DKD. TCM monomers, derived from various Chinese herbs, have been found to modulate multiple therapeutic targets and exhibit a broad range of therapeutic effects in patients with DKD. This review aims to summarize the mechanisms of action of TCM monomers in the treatment of DKD, based on findings from clinical trials, as well as cell and animal studies. The results of these investigations demonstrate the potential effective use of TCM monomers in treating or preventing DKD, offering a promising new direction for future research in the field. By providing a comprehensive overview of the mechanisms and efficacy of TCM monomers in DKD, this review highlights the potential of these natural compounds as alternative therapeutic options for improving outcomes in patients with DKD.

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Funding

This study was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (82170865), Taishan Scholars Project of Shandong Province (tsqn202211365), Weifang Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Chronic Renal Failure and TCM Science and Technology Development Plan of Shandong Province (M-2022265 to Zhentao Guo).

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Author notes

  1. Xuexun Chen and Xuan Li have equally contributed to this article (co-first author).

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nephrology, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261031, China

    Xuexun Chen, Xuan Li, Xinping Chen & Zhentao Guo

  2. Clinical Research Center, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261031, China

    Xuexun Chen, Xuan Li, Kexin Zhang, Chengxia Kan, Jingwen Zhang & Xiaodong Sun

  3. Department of Emergency, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261031, China

    Bo Cao

  4. Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, 2428 Yuhe Road, Weifang, 261031, Shandong, China

    Kexin Zhang, Chengxia Kan, Jingwen Zhang & Xiaodong Sun

  5. Department of Pathology, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261031, China

    Fang Han

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  1. Xuexun Chen
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  9. Xiaodong Sun
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  10. Zhentao Guo
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Contributions

XXC and XL were responsible for conceptualization, methodology, data curation, and writing-original draft preparation; ZTG and XDS were responsible for supervision, writing-reviewing and editing; others were responsible for data curation and investigation.

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Correspondence to Xiaodong Sun or Zhentao Guo.

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Chen, X., Li, X., Cao, B. et al. Mechanisms and efficacy of traditional Chinese herb monomers in diabetic kidney disease. Int Urol Nephrol 56, 571–582 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11255-023-03703-0

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