Heidihuang Pill in obstructed rat kidneys: fibrosis, senescence markers and Klotho knockdown
In rats with unilateral ureteral obstruction, Heidihuang Pill treatment was associated with less tubular injury and interstitial fibrosis, changes in fecal metabolites, partial restoration of renal Klotho expression and reduced IGF-1/AKT/mTOR signaling; some effects were weaker after Klotho knockdown. [1]
Automatic summary · not editorially reviewed
The key findings
The study evaluated Heidihuang Pill effects on UUO-induced kidney injury, renal fibrosis and senescence-associated markers in rats. [1]
HDHW treatment significantly reduced serum blood urea nitrogen and hyaluronic acid, while creatinine and cystatin C decreases were not statistically significant after adjustment. [1]
Several HDHW-associated reductions in fibrosis-related and senescence-associated markers were less pronounced after Klotho knockdown. [1]
The source at a glance
- Study type / format
- Preclinical animal study (abstract)
- Population / context
- Rats with unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO)
- Summary based on
- Study abstract
- Original publication
- September 5, 2026
Rat UUO model tested for fibrosis and senescence markers
The abstract describes a rat study of unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO), a model of kidney injury. The authors state that senescence-associated changes in renal tubular epithelial cells contribute to renal fibrosis progression. They asked whether Heidihuang Pill (HDHW), a traditional Chinese medicine formula used in chronic renal failure with a spleen-kidney deficiency pattern, affects UUO-induced kidney injury, renal fibrosis and senescence-associated markers. Serum pharmacochemistry characterized HDHW-associated serum constituents, and network pharmacology generated candidate hypotheses.
Supporting source [1]
Lower injury and fibrosis markers; Klotho knockdown weakened some effects
Serum pharmacochemistry yielded 96 putatively annotated HDHW-associated serum constituents. In UUO rats, HDHW treatment significantly reduced serum blood urea nitrogen and hyaluronic acid; serum creatinine and cystatin C fell numerically but not significantly after multiple-comparison adjustment. HDHW attenuated tubular injury, inflammatory-cell infiltration and interstitial collagen deposition, with reductions in fibrosis-related and senescence-associated markers in renal tubulointerstitial tissue. Fecal metabolomics showed metabolic changes linked to HDHW treatment and Klotho knockdown, with descriptive pathway mapping as exploratory context. HDHW was associated with partial restoration of renal Klotho expression and reduced IGF-1/AKT/mTOR signaling; several marker reductions were less pronounced after AAV9-shRNA-mediated Klotho knockdown.
Supporting source [1]
Abstract-only rat evidence; mechanisms remain proposed
The conclusion states that HDHW treatment was associated with attenuation of renal tubular injury and interstitial fibrosis, alterations in the fecal metabolic profile, partial restoration of renal Klotho expression and reduced IGF-1/AKT/mTOR signaling in UUO rats. The findings are said to support the possible involvement of Klotho-related signaling in HDHW-associated renal effects. These are associations in an animal model, not evidence of benefit for human lifespan or human kidney disease, and they do not establish causation. This explainer is based on the abstract only; the full text was not reviewed.
Supporting source [1]
How to interpret this
Abstract only; the full text was not reviewed. This is a rat UUO study, so findings are preclinical associations and do not show human benefit or causation.
Based on the study abstract; the full paper, tables and supplementary data were not reviewed.
Source & supporting passages
He G, Song J, Xue Y, Jia Y, Yu Z, Zhang F. · europepmc.org · September 5, 2026