A case of idiopathic nephrotic syndrome treated with the homeopathic therapeutic

Nephrotic syndrome is a chronic clinical condition and drugs used in its treatment may result in severe side-effects. Renal transplantation or renal ablation and subsequent chronic dialysis treatment may be the only feasible way to patients. The present article reports the case of a 23-years-old white woman that presented nephrotic syndrome and was successfully treated with homeopathic medicines. Six kind of homeopathic diagnoses were made to build the clinical homeopathic picture of the patient and to determine the appropriate medicines, according to the clinical protocol used. Apis mellifica was the main medicine used to treat the diathesis sycosis. The satisfactory treatment outcome shows that the judicious homeopathic therapeutic may be a valuable resource in the treatment of nephrotic syndrome. Keywords: Nephrotic syndrome; Clinical protocol; Diathesis; Sycosis; Homeopathy  Um caso de síndrome nefrótica idiopática tratada com terapéutica homeopática. Resumo A síndrome nefrótica é uma condição clínica crônica. Os fármacos utilizados em seu tratamento podem produzir severos efeitos colaterais. O transplante ou a ablação renal, com a necessidade posterior de diálise, as vezes é a única alternativa real de tratamento. Este artigo descreve o caso de um paciente de 23 anos de idade portador de síndrome nefrótica. Foram realizados 6 diagnósticos homeopáticos para construir um quadro clínico homeopático do paciente e determinar os medicamentos homeopáticos, bem como o protocolo terapéutico. Apis mellifica foi o principal medicamento utilizado para tratar a diástesis sicótica. Os resultados terapéuticos foram satisfatórios e indicam que uma terapéutica homeopática racional pode ser um valioso recurso no tratamento da síndrome nefrótica. Palavras-chave: Síndrome nefrótica; Protocolo clínico; Diatese; Sicose; Homeopatia.  Un caso de síndrome nefrotico idiopatico tratado con terapeutica homeopatica Resumen El síndrome nefrótico es una condición clínica crónica; los fármacos utilizados en su tratamiento pueden producir severos efectos colaterales. El trasplante o ablación renal, con la necesidad posterior de diálisis, a veces es la única alternativa real de tratamiento. Este artículo describe el caso de una paciente de 23 años de edad portadora de síndrome nefrótico; 6 diagnósticos homeopáticos fueron realizados para construir el cuadro clínico homeopático de la paciente y determinar los medicamentos homeopáticos, como prescripto por el protocolo terapéutico utilizado. Apis mellifica fue el principal medicamento utilizado para tratar la diátesis sicótica. Los resultados terapéuticos favorables muestran que una terapéutica homeopática racional puede ser un recurso valioso en el tratamiento del síndrome nefrótico. Palabras-clave: Síndrome nefrótico; Protocolo clínico; Diatese; Sicose; Homeopatia  Correspondence author: Luiz Figueira Pinto, [email protected] How to cite this article: Pinto LF. A case of idiopathic nephrotic syndrome treated with the homeopathic therapeutic. Int J High Dilution Res [online]. 2009 [cited YYYY Mmm dd]; 8(26):26-32. Available from: http://journal.giri-society.org/index.php/ijhdr/article/view/302/382. ÂÂÂ

Synergic Renoprotective Effects Of Combined ASC Therapy With RAAS Blockade In Experimental Advanced CKD

ABSTRACTGlobal prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) has increased considerably in the recent decades. Overactivity of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), associated to renal inflammation and fibrosis contribute to its evolution. The treatments currently employed to control CKD progression are limited and mainly based on the pharmacological inhibition of RAAS, associated with diuretics and immunosuppressive drugs. However, this conservative management promotes only partial deceleration of CKD evolution, and does not completely avoid the progression of the disease and the loss of renal function, which motivates the medical and scientific community to investigate new therapeutic approaches to detain renal inflammation / fibrosis and CKD progression. Recent studies have shown the application of mesenchymal stem cells (mSC) to exert beneficial effects on the renal tissue of animals submitted to experimental models of CKD. In this context, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of subcapsular application of adipose tissue-derived mSC (ASC) in rats submitted to the 5/6 renal ablation model, 15 days after the establishment of CKD, when the nephropathy was already severe. We also verify whether ASC associated to Losartan, would promote greater renoprotection when compared to the respective monotherapies. Animals were followed until 30 days of CKD, when body weight, systolic blood pressure, biochemical, histological, immunohistochemical and gene expression analysis were performed. The combination of ASC and Losartan was more effective than Losartan monotherapy in reducing systolic blood pressure and glomerulosclerosis, and also promoted the complete normalization of proteinuria and albuminuria, a significant reduction in renal interstitial macrophage infiltration and downregulation of renal IL-6 gene expression. The beneficial effects of ACS are possibly due to the immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory role of factors secreted by these cells, modulating the local immune response. Although studies are still required, our results demonstrated that a subcapsular inoculation of ASC, associated with the administration of Losartan, exerted additional renoprotective effect in rats submitted to a severe model of established CKD, when compared to Losartan monotherapy, thus suggesting ASC may be a potential adjuvant to RAAS-blockade therapy currently employed in the conservative management of CKD.

Urinary DPP4 correlates with renal dysfunction, and DPP4 inhibition protects against the reduction in megalin and podocin expression in experimental CKD

This study investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying the antiproteinuric effect of DPP4 inhibition in 5/6 renal ablation rats and tested the hypothesis that the urinary activity of DPP4 correlates with chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression. Experiments were conducted in male Wistar rats who underwent 5/6 nephrectomy (Nx) or sham operation, followed by 8 weeks of treatment with the DPP4 inhibitor (DPP4i) sitagliptin or vehicle. Proteinuria increased progressively in Nx rats throughout the observation period. This increase was remarkably mitigated by sitagliptin. Higher levels of proteinuria in Nx rats compared to control rats were accompanied by higher urinary excretion of retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4), a marker of tubular proteinuria, as well as higher urinary levels of podocin, a marker of glomerular proteinuria. RBP4 and podocin were not detected in the urine of Nx+DPP4i rats. Tubular and glomerular proteinuria was associated with the reduced expression of megalin and podocin in the renal cortex of Nx rats. Sitagliptin treatment partially prevented this decrease. Besides, the angiotensin II renal content was significantly reduced in the Nx rats that received sitagliptin compared to vehicle-treated Nx rats. Interestingly, both urinary DPP4 activity and abundance increased progressively in Nx rats. Additionally, urinary DPP4 activity correlated positively with serum creatinine levels, proteinuria, and blood pressure. Collectively, these results suggest that DPP4 inhibition ameliorated both tubular and glomerular proteinuria and prevented the reduction of megalin and podocin expression in CKD rats. Furthermore, these findings suggest that urinary DPP4 activity may serve as a biomarker of renal disease and progression.