Author(s)

Ülle Pechter^1*, Ingrid Kalev², Mai Ots-Rosenberg¹

¹Department of Internal Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.
²Institute of General and Molecular Pathology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an irreversible decline in the glomerular filtration due to nephrosclerosis and glomerular loss. Rat remnant kidney model enables to assess the benefits of different treatment possibilities. Aim: The aim of our study was to investigate renal morphology and functioning after 12 weeks of treatment with Equisetum arvense and Viscum album. Methods: Male Wistar rats with 5/6 nephrectomy received herbal drug preparation Equisetum/Viscum in a dosage of 0.007 g/kg/die (herbal group) or losartan (180 mg/l, ARB group) or remained untreated. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and proteinuria were measured. Renal cortex tissue samples examined for focal-segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) and interstitial fibrosis (IF). mRNA was isolated to estimate CCL2/MCP-1 gene transcription. Results: SBP was significantly lower both in herbal group and ARB group compared with untreated animals (p < 0.05). The difference in proteinuria between herbal group and untreated group was significant (p < 0.05), between ARB group and untreated NPX (p = 0.001). Quantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed statistically significant differences of mRNA transcription for MCP-1 between herbal group and untreated group (p < 0.05) and ARB group and untreated group (p < 0.001). FSGS (%) and IF (scored 0 - 3) estimation in kidney tissue samples revealed that significantly less glomerulosclerosis was found and IF score was lower both in herbal group and ARB group compared to untreated group (p = 0.001). Conclusions: We report about beneficial impact of horsetail Equisetum arvense and mistletoe Viscum album treatment on kidney functioning and morphology.

Equisetum arvense, Experimental Chronic Kidney Disease, MCP-1 Relative Transcription, Viscum album

Pechter, Ü. , Kalev, I. and Ots-Rosenberg, M. (2018) Renoprotective and Blood Pressure Lowering Impact of Equisetum arvense and Viscum album Therapy in Experimental Model of Chronic Kidney Disease. World Journal of Cardiovascular Diseases, 8, 545-556. doi: 10.4236/wjcd.2018.812054.