Objective: To observe the effects of Bailing Capsule (BLC, a dry powder-formed preparation of Cordyceps sinensis mycelia) on chronic allograft nephropathy (CAN).
Methods: A comparative synchronous study was conducted between 36 CAN patients treated with BLC 9.0 g/d (treated group) for 12 weeks and 15 CAN patients treated without BLC (control group). The changes of renal function, endogenous creatinine clearance rate, volume of urinary protein and urinary protein components, including immune globulin (Ig) and albumin (Alb), urinary retinol binding protein (RBP) and beta2-microglobulin (beta2-MG), as well as the incidence rate of leucopenia before and after treatment in the two groups were compared.
Results: Compared with the control group, BLC showed more significant effects in lowering urinary protein (0.89 +/- 0.53 g/d in the treated group vs 1.31 +/- 0.59 g/d in the control group after treatment, the same below), serum creatinine (206.48 +/- 30.61 micromol/L vs 240.17 +/- 29.55 micromol/L), relieving glomerular and tubular proteinuria represented by levels of Ig, Al, RBP and beta2-MG in urine, increasing endogenous creatine clearance rate (37.33 +/- 9.91 ml/min vs. 31.92 +/- 10.95 ml/min), and reducing the incidence rate of leucopenia (2.8% vs 13.3%) in CAN patients.
Conclusion: BLC has certain therapeutical effect on CAN. It could relieve injury in glomerulus and tubular interstitium and has preventive and therapeutical effect on leucopenia.