The aim of the study was to elucidate the
therapeutic effects of Atracylodes rhizome
polysaccharide on
adenine-induced
chronic renal failure in rats. Fifty male Sprague Dawley rats were selected and randomly divided in to 5 groups (n=10 rats per group): The normal control group, the
chronic renal failure pathological control group, the
dexamethasone treatment group and two Atracylodes rhizome
polysaccharide treatment groups, treated with two different concentrations of the
polysaccharide, the Atracylodes rhizome
polysaccharide high group and the Atracylodes rhizome
polysaccharide low group. All the rats, except those in the normal control group were fed
adenine-enriched diets, containing 10 g
adenine per kg food for 3 weeks. After being fed with
adenine, the
dexamethasone treatment group, Atracylodes rhizome
polysaccharide high group and Atracylodes rhizome
polysaccharide low group rats were administered the
drug orally for 2 weeks. On day 35, the kidney coefficient of the rats and the serum levels of
creatinine, blood
urea nitrogen, total
protein and hemalbumin were determined. Subsequent to experimentation on a model of
chronic renal failure in rats, the preparation was proven to be able to reduce serum levels of
creatinine, blood
urea nitrogen and hemalbumin levels (P<0.05) and improve renal function. Atracylodes rhizome
polysaccharide had reversed the majority of the indices of
chronic renal failure in rats.