Astragaloside for Improving Diabetic Vasculopathy Based on Microalbuminuria and C-Reactive Protein

Abstract

Astragaloside has an ameliorative effect on diabetic vasculopathy. In this experiment, we investigated the role of astragaloside in improving diabetic vasculopathy. Eighty cases of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients with microalbuminuria (MAU) symptoms were selected and divided into T2DM group, astragaloside group, astragaloside+SRI-011381 group and astragaloside+ LDN193189 group. Another 20 healthy check-ups were selected as control group. We detected the content of C-reactive protein (CRP), ankle-brachial index (ABI) for both lower limbs, ultrasound examination of both lower limbs, and determined the vascular internal diameter (D), peak flow rate (Vmax), blood flow (Vol) of these three arteries, as well as grading the degree of lesion and scoring. T2DM group showed an increase in CRP level and UAlb content, decreased vessel internal diameter, an increased peak flow rate, decreased blood flow and ABI index, and a higher incidence of arteriopathy, which were all reversed in the Astragaloside group. The incidence of arterial lesions was lower. Compared with astragaloside group, serum CRP level and urine albumin content were increased in the astragaloside+SRI-011381 group, and serum CRP level and urine albumin content were decreased in the astragaloside+LDN193189 group. Moreover, inhibition of TGF-β/Smad pathway improved diabetic vasculopathy. Astragaloside therefore improves diabetic vasculopathy and slows diseased progression by inhibiting TGF-β/Smad signaling, lowering CRP levels as well as urinary albumin levels, hindering vasoconstriction and increasing blood flow.