Chinese herbal decoction found to be an effective remedy for chronic kidney disease

Researchers at Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine and The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology examined the efficacy of a Chinese herbal formula called Jian-Pi-Yi-Shen (JPYS) on chronic kidney disease associated with anemia. The study, published in the journal BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, focused on the effect of JPYS on the expressions of erythropoietin and pro-inflammatory cytokines in cultured cells.

• JPYS is a Chinese herbal formulation that is composed of eight medicinal herbs, such as Astragali Radix, Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma, Dioscoreae Rhizoma, Cistanches Herba, Amomi Fructus Rotundus, Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, Rhei Radix et Rhizoma, Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma Praeparata cum Melle.
• For the study, the researchers applied standardized herbal extracts of JPYS onto cultured cells for one to two days or 24 to 48 hours.
• Results showed that the JPYS herbal decoction stimulated the production of the erythropoietin, which plays an important role in the formation and production of red blood cell. Deficiency in erythropoietin is the most common cause of chronic kidney disease associated with anemia.
• In addition, the treatment activated the hypoxia response element-mediated transcriptional activity. Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) signaling could increase erythropoietin production in chronic kidney disease patients. These supported the hematopoietic function of JPYS.
• JPYS also promoted the expressions of pro-inflammatory cytokines, at the same time inhibited the expression of lipopolysaccharide-induced cytokines.
• Thus, researchers deduced that JPYS decoction regulated the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines under different scenarios in macrophages.

The findings of the study suggested that JPYS formula can boost red blood cell production and regulate pro-inflammatory cytokines in chronic kidney disease associated-anemia.

Read the full text of the study at this link.

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Journal Reference:

Chen J, Gong AGW, Liu X, Li Z, Qi A, Dong TTX, Yi T, Tsim KWK, Li S. A CHINESE HERBAL DECOCTION, JIAN-PI-YI-SHEN, REGULATES THE EXPRESSIONS OF ERYTHROPOIETIN AND PRO-INFLAMMATORY CYTOKINES IN CULTURED CELLS. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 3 April 2018; 18(119). DOI: 10.1186/s12906-018-2146-4