The tannins from Punica granatum L, natural regulator of TGF-β1/Smad signaling activity improves nephrectomy and adriamycin induced focal segmental glomerulosclerosis in vivo

Abstract Total tannins from Punica granatum L (TPG) was obtained by aqueous-acetone extraction and was abundant in punicalagin and ellagic acid. As these compounds are known to act against inflammation and oxidative stress in synergistic fashion, this study was to investigate the protective role of TPG on the kidney in focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) rats. In the present study, the glomerulosclerosis model was established by nephrectomy and injection of Adriamycin. The rats were treated with TPG and benazepril (BEN) for nine weeks. The results revealed that TPG and BEN pretreatment produced a significant improvement in biochemical parameters and renal pathology, and reduced the expression of PDGF, a-SMA and Ang-II. Similarly, the PCR and protein expression results showed that TPG normalized the renal expression of TGF-β1/Smad in FSGS conditions. These results suggested that the molecular mechanism of TPG ameliorated kidney injury might be associated with the inhibition of TGF-β1/Smad pathway.