Discipline of Human Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X54001, Durban, South Africa.
Ren Fail. 2010 Jan;32(1):132-8. doi: 10.3109/08860220903367585.
Diabetes mellitus, a disorder characterized by chronic hyperglycemia and excessive urine excretion, is associated with complications such as atherosclerosis, cardiac dysfunction, and nephropathy. Renal disease, which develops through a number of metabolic pathways in diabetes, is characterized by functional as well as structural abnormalities of the kidney. The most common cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is diabetic nephropathy, which accounts for significant morbidity and mortality. Current conventional diabetes therapy using blood glucose-lowering medications has limitations in averting the development of renal diseases. The onset of diabetic nephropathy is associated with a progressive rate of decline in renal function, urinary albumin excretion, and glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Diabetes mellitus treatment should therefore aim to intervene on promoters of the decline in renal function in diabetes to avert adverse outcomes. Preventing the pathogenesis of nephropathy with therapeutic interventions based on specific alterations in kidney function represents a plausible approach. Cumulative evidence suggests that some herbal extracts with hypoglycaemic properties may have beneficial effects on some processes associated with a decline in renal function, as well as reduce the severity of nephropathy in diabetic experimental animals. On the other hand, some herbal extracts may be hazardous in diabetes, as reports indicate impairment of renal function. This review outlines current evidence supporting plant extracts with the potential of averting progressive renal diabetic complications as well as the nephrotoxicity of some herbal extracts.
糖尿病是以慢性高血糖和过度尿排泄为特征的疾病，与动脉粥样硬化、心功能障碍和肾病等并发症有关。糖尿病通过多种代谢途径发展的肾脏疾病，其特征是肾脏的功能和结构异常。终末期肾病（ESRD）最常见的原因是糖尿病肾病，它导致了显著的发病率和死亡率。目前使用降血糖药物的常规糖尿病治疗在避免肾脏疾病的发展方面存在局限性。糖尿病肾病的发病与肾功能、尿白蛋白排泄和肾小球滤过率（GFR）的进行性下降率有关。因此，糖尿病的治疗应该旨在干预糖尿病肾功能下降的促进因素，以避免不良后果。基于对肾功能特定改变的治疗干预来预防肾病的发病机制是一种合理的方法。越来越多的证据表明，一些具有降血糖作用的草药提取物可能对与肾功能下降相关的某些过程有有益的影响，并降低糖尿病实验动物中肾病的严重程度。另一方面，一些草药提取物在糖尿病中可能是有害的，因为有报告表明会损害肾功能。本文综述了目前支持具有潜在预防糖尿病慢性肾脏并发症能力的植物提取物的证据，以及一些草药提取物的肾毒性。
