TCM formula slows kidney failure

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Fu Ling (Poria Cocos)

CM NEWS – A traditional herbal formula has been proved in lab that it may slow the progression of chronic kidney failure.

The formular tested is called keishibukuryogan in Japanese traditional medicine or Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan (桂枝茯苓丸) in TCM.

In TCM, Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan has the functions of “activating blood flow” and “removing blood stasis”. It is commonly used by women with irregular menstruation or menstrual cramps.

Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan was also proved effective to exert anti-inflammatory effects in ischemia-reperfusion injured rats.

The formula of Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan is as follows:

Fu Ling (茯苓, Poria Cocos) 6gGui Zhi (桂枝, Cinnamomum Ramulus) 6gMu Dan Pi (牡丹皮, Paeonia Cortex) 6gTao Ren (桃仁, Persica Semen) 6gChi Shao (赤芍, Paeonia Rubra Radix) 6g

What is Fu Ling? Poria Cocos is a fungus in the Polyporaceae family. It is a wood-decay fungus but has a terrestrial growth habit. It is notable in the development of a large, long-lasting underground sclerotium that resembles a small coconut. This sclerotium (called “Tuckahoe”, or Indian Bread) was used by native Americans as a source of food in times of scarcity.

Fu Ling is collected between July and September. The poria with reddish inner side of the superficial layer is called red poria and the poria with white inner side of the superficial layer is called white poria. The poria produced in Yunnan Province is famous and therefore the drug is also called Yunnan poria Yunling). After collection, it is dried in shade, sliced, and used unprepared.

Property: Sweet and tasteless in flavour, neutral in property, acting on the heart, spleen and kidney channels.

Effects: Inducing diuresis, excreting dampness, invigorating the spleen, replenishing the middle-jiao, and tranquilizing the mind.

A group of Japanese researchers examined the effects of keishibukuryogan on the early stage of progressive renal failure in rats subjected to 5/6 nephrectomy.

Keishibukuryogan was given orally at a dose of 1% (w/w) and 3% (w/w) in chow. Administration of keishibukuryogan was started at 1 week after 5/6 nephrectomy and was continued for 4 weeks.

At the end of the experiment, Azan staining did not reveal any severe histological changes in the kidneys of the nephrectomized rats. On the other hand, significant increases in mRNA expressions of transforming growth factor-β1 and fibronectin related to tissue fibrosis were observed in nephrectomized rats, and they were significantly suppressed by 3% keishibukuryogan treatment.

Against gene expressions related to macrophage infiltration, 3% keishibukuryogan treatment significantly suppressed osteopontin mRNA levels, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 mRNA levels showed a tendency to decrease, but without statistical significance.

It was also observed that 3% keishibukuryogan attenuated serum urea nitrogen and urinary protein excretion levels. From these results, it was suggested that keishibukuryogan exerts beneficial effects that result in slowing the progression of chronic renal failure.

[eCAM, doi:10.1093/ecam/nep089]