Abstract:Objective To investigate the changes in the apoptosis of peripheral blood mononucleated cells (PBMCs), the protein expression of B- cell lymphoma- 2 (Bcl- 2) and Fas, and the levels of monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP- 1) and transforming growth factor- β1 (TGF- β1) after Shendi Granule is used for the treatment of rats with mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis (MsPGN), as well as the mechanism of action of Shendi Granule. Methods A total of 60 Sprague- Dawley rats were selected, among which 10 rats were randomly selected as normal group and the remaining 50 rats were used to establish a model of MsPGN, and after the model was successfully established, they were divided into model group with 11 rats, valsartan group with 10 rats, and Shendi Granule group with 10 rats. The drugs were administered since day 21 after modeling; the rats in the valsartan group were given valsartan solution by gavage every day, those in the Shendi Granule group were given Shendi Granule solution by gavage, and those in the model group and the normal group were given normal saline by gavage, for 12 consecutive weeks. Pathological damage was observed under a light microscope, and laboratory methods were used to measure 24- hour urinary protein (24hUPr), apoptosis rate of PBMCs, protein expression of Bcl- 2 and Fas, and serum levels of MCP- 1 and TGF- β1. Results Compared with the valsartan group, the Shendi Granule group had a significantly greater reduction in 24hUPr at weeks 8 and 12 of treatment (P<0.05). Compared with the normal group, the model group had significant increases in the apoptosis rate of PBMCs and the serum levels of MCP- 1 and TGF- β1 (P<0.05), as well as significantly downregulated protein expression of Bcl- 2 and significantly upregulated protein expression of Fas (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, both the valsartan group and the Shendi Granule group had significant reductions in the apoptosis rate of PBMCs and the serum levels of MCP- 1 and TGF- β1 (P<0.05), as well as significantly upregulated protein expression of Bcl- 2 and significantly downregulated protein expression of Fas (P<0.05). Compared with the valsartan group, the Shendi Granule group had significantly lower apoptosis rate of PBMCs and serum level of TGF- β1 (P<0.05) and a significantly greater increase in the protein expression of Bcl- 2 (P<0.05). The proliferation of renal mesangial cells was effectively inhibited in the MsPGN rats in the Shendi Granule group. Conclusion Shendi Granule can alleviate renal inflammatory response, reduce urinary protein, and improve the pathological damage of the kidney in rats with MsPGN, possibly by regulating the protein expression of the apoptosis- regulating proteins Bcl- 2 and Fas, reducing the apoptosis rate of PBMCs, and downregulating the expression levels of MCP- 1 and TGF- β1.