Effect of modified Shenqi pill combined with conventional western medicine on diabetic nephropathy and its influence on netrin-1 level and renal function

Background: Our aim in this study was to investigate the efficacy of modified Shenqi pills combined with conventional western medicine in patients with diabetic nephropathy.Methodology: 150 patients with diabetic nephropathy were divided into a western medicine group (50 cases, conventional western medicine), a traditional Chinese medicine group (50 cases, modified Shenqi pills), and an observation group (50 cases, modified Shenqi pills combined with conventional western medicine). The values of netrin-1, 24-hour urinary protein, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (Scr), symptom score, and clinical efficacy were compared among three groups before and after treatment.Results: The netrin-1, 24h urine protein, BUN and Scr values, the total score of main symptoms, and total score of secondary symptoms in the observation group were lower than those in the traditional Chinese medicine group and western medicine group at 3 months after treatment, and the difference was statistically significant. The total effective rate in the observation group (100.00%) was significantly higher than that in the traditional Chinese medicine group (86.00%) and western medicine group (78.00%), and the difference was statistically significant.Conclusion: Combination of modified Shenqi Pills with conventional western medicine can achieve a more satisfactory effect in diabetic nephropathy, by reducing Netrin-1, promoting renal function recovery, eliminating edema and decreasing blood pressure. Keywords: Diabetic nephropathy; modified Shenqi pill; western medicine; combined therapy; nerve guidance factor-1; renal function.