Abstract:Objective To investigate the mechanism of action of Yanggan Yishui Granule in improving hypertensive kidney injury via podocytes. Methods A total of 64 spontaneously hypertensive rats were randomly divided into high- and low- dose Yanggan Yishui Granule groups, benazepril group, and model group, with 16 rats in each group; another 16 WKY rats were selected as normal group. The levels of serum creatinine (SCr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were measured before and after the experiment, and RT- qPCR and Western blot were used to measure the mRNA and protein expression of transforming growth factor- β1 (TGF- β1) and p27 in the renal cortex in rats. Results The spontaneously hypertensive rats had significantly higher levels of SCr and BUN than the normal rats before and after treatment (P<0.05). After treatment, the high- and low- dose Yanggan Yishui Granule groups and the benazepril group had significant reductions in the levels of SCr and BUN (P<0.05), but there were no significant differences between the three groups (P>0.05). The model group had significantly higher mRNA and protein expression of p27 and TGF- β1 in the renal cortex than the normal group (P<0.05). After treatment, compared with the low- dose Yanggan Yishui Granule group, the high- dose Yanggan Yishui Granule group had significant reductions in the mRNA and protein expression of p27 and TGF- β1 (P<0.05). Conclusion Yanggan Yishui Granule can protect the kidney through down- regulating the expression of p27 and TGF- β1, regulating the proliferation and apoptosis of podocytes, and maintaining the normal morphology and structure of podocytes.