Shandong Province Traditional Chinese Medicine Science &Technology Development Plan(2017-386)

Renal fibrosis is a major pathological change in the development and progression of various diseases such as diabetic nephropathy(DN), glomerulonephritis, hypertensive nephropathyand end-stage renal disease. It is also one of the important causes of renal insufficiency. Duringthe progression of renal disease, a variety of cytokines and signal pathways are activated, leading to the injuries of glomerulus and tubulointerstitium and ultimately renal fibrosis. The pathogenesis of renal diseases has remained rather complicated. Currently there is no effective treatment in Western medicine. In recent years, the intervention of traditional Chinese medicine for DN has made headways to delay the process of DN renal fibrosis. This review focused upon the latest understandings of renal diseases in Chinese and Western medicine. Also discussed were the pharmacological mechanisms of some commonly used Chinese medicines for DN-associated renal fibrosis and the therapeutic principles of Chinese herbal compound preparations in delaying renal fibrosis of DN.