RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of Yiniao Recipe, a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, on contents of serum antidiuretic hormone, and plasma cyclic adenosine monophosphate and cyclic guanosine monophosphate in rats with kidney-yang deficiency. METHODS: Forty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into blank control group, untreated group, desmopressin (Minirin) group, low-dose Yiniao Recipe group and high-dose Yiniao Recipe group, with 8 rats in each group. Rats in the blank control group were injected with 0.2 mL normal saline, and rats in the other groups were given intramuscular injection of hydrocortisone 25 mg/kg, 1 time daily for 21 consecutive days; from the 8th day of injection, rats were given double distilled water, Minirin, and high- and low-dose Yiniao Recipe respectively for 30 days. Before and after treatment, 24-hour urine volume was observed, and serum antidiuretic hormone (AVP) as well as plasma cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) contents were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The cAMP/cGMP ratio and morphological changes in renal tissues were also observed. RESULTS: Compared with blank control group, 24-hour urine volume, serum AVP content and cAMP/cGMP ratio in the untreated group were decreased; compared with the untreated group, Minirin and Yiniao Recipe at low and high doses reduced 24-hour urine volume and increased serum AVP content and cAMP/cGMP ratio significantly (P<0.05 or P<0.01). There were no obvious pathological changes in renal tissue in all groups. CONCLUSION: Yiniao Recipe may reduce 24-hour urine volume by increasing serum AVP content and regulating the ratio of cAMP to cGMP in kidney-yang deficiency rats.