Research progress of the curative effects of main active components of Astragalus membranaceus in treatment of diabetic nephropathy

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a common complication of diabetes, and is one of the main causes of end stage renal disease (ESRD). At present, the practical therapeutic method for DN is still lacked due to unclear pathogenesis. However, as a traditional Chinese medicine, astragalus, especially Astragalus membranaceus, is commonly used in the treatment of DN. The main active ingredients of Astragalus membranaceus include astragaloside Ⅳ (AS-Ⅳ) and astragalus polysaccharide (APS), which can effectively reduce proteinuria and protect renal function. The mechanism of AS-Ⅳ and APS in treatment of DN was reviewed in present article including regulation of endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS), anti-inflammatory, reducing cell apoptosis, inhibiting fibrosis, and regulating metabolism of sugar and lipid, in order to provide reference for the research and clinical application. DOI: 10.11855/j.issn.0577-7402.2021.03.13