Studies on antinephritic effect of TJ-8014, a new Japanese herbal medicine, and its mechanisms (1): Effects on original-type anti-GBM nephritis in rats and platelet aggregation.

In this study, we investigated the antinephritic effects of TJ-8014 and crude drugs in TJ-8014, in comparison to dipyridamole, on original-type anti-GBM nephritis in rats. TJ-8014 (2.0 and 3.0 g/kg/day, p.o., for 12 days) markedly inhibited the urinary protein excretion and the elevation of the plasma urea nitrogen (UN). In addition, TJ-8014 was effective in inhibiting the histopathological changes of hypercellularity and adhesion in glomeruli. Although dipyridamole (0.4 g/kg/day, p.o., for 12 days) had no effect on the plasma UN level, it was as effective as TJ-8014 on the other parameters. When each crude drug which constitutes TJ-8014 was given p.o., daily at 0.2 g/kg, only. Holen was effective in inhibiting the urinary protein excretion as well as histopathological changes. Ginseng radix reduced both the hypercellularity and the adhesion, while Bupleuri radix. Glycyrrhizae radix and Zizyphi fructus reduced only the hypercellularity. TJ-8014 and dipyridamole inhibited the platelet aggregation in normal and nephritic rats. These results indicate that TJ-8014, like dipyridamole, has a beneficial effect on original-type anti-GBM nephritis in rats and the antinephritic action of TJ-8014 may be partly due to the antiplatelet action of this agent.