• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.1201-1209
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• 2007

The present study was designed to examine whether water extract of Acanthopanacis cortex(AC) has an effect on renal functional parameters in association with the expression of aquaporin 2 (AQP-2) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in the ischemia/reperfusion induced acute renal failure (ARF) rats. Polyuria caused by down-regulation of renal AQP 2 in the ischemia-induced ARF rats was markedly restored by administration of AC (200 mg/kg, p.o.) with restoring expression of AQP 2 in the kidney. Administration of AC lowered the renal expression of HO-1, which was upregulated in rats with ischemia/reperfusion-induced ARF. The renal functional parameters including creatinine clearance, urinary sodium excretion, urinary osmolality, and solute-free reabsorption were also markedly restored in ischemia-ARF rats by administration of AC. Histological study also showed that renal damages in the ARF rats were abrogated by administration of AC. Taken together, the present data indicate that AC ameliorates renal defects in rats with ischemia/reperfusion-induced ARF.