Siwu Granules and Erythropoietin Synergistically Ameliorated Anemia in Adenine-Induced Chronic Renal Failure Rats

OBJECTIVE: Renal anemia in patients with end-stage chronic kidney disease is closely related to the deterioration of cardiac function, renal function, and quality of life. This study involved adenine-induced renal anemic rat models and evaluated the treatment effect of Siwu granules and/or erythropoietin (EPO). METHODS: Fifty SD rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: control, model, Siwu, EPO, and Siwu plus EPO groups. The expression levels of NO, MDA, SOD, CAT, IL-6, TNF-α, EPO, EPOR, α-SMA, and TGF-β1 were detected in rats after 8 weeks of treatment with Siwu granules and/or EPO. RESULTS: After modeling, 47 rats entered the stage of treatment. Siwu plus EPO treatment significantly increased the rat hemoglobin content (p < 0.05) and reduced blood urea nitrogen (p < 0.05) and serum creatinine (p < 0.001). Compared with the control group, the expression of EPO and EPOR in the kidney of rats with renal failure was significantly decreased (p < 0.05). Moreover, the Siwu plus EPO group improved the level of oxidative stress in rats with chronic renal failure and reduced the expression of inflammatory factors. The expression of α-SMA and TGF-β1 in rats with renal failure was higher, but there was no expression in the control group. CONCLUSION: Combined treatment of Siwu granules with EPO increased the expression of EPO and EPOR in the renal tissues and inhibited oxidative stress and inflammatory factors, improving the renal function and anemia.