Research progress in the treatment of idiopathic membranous nephropathy using traditional Chinese medicine

Abstract

This article reviews the most significant literature of the recent years on the treatment of idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN) with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). One major goal of the article is to classify and summarize the research on the clinical aspects and the associated mechanisms of the use of Chinese herbal compounds and single drugs to treat IMN. It was found that TCM treats IMN via two major approaches: by benefiting qi, activating blood circulation and eliminating dampness, or by benefiting qi and nourishing yin. The method of benefiting qi, to activate blood circulation and eliminate dampness for dredging channels, is the most popular. The commonly used drugs in this approach include Huang Qi (astragalus), Dang Shen (codonopsis root), Bai Zhu (white atractylodes rhizome), Fu Ling (poria cocos), Dang Gui (angelica sinensis), and so on. Several randomized, controlled, clinical trials are reviewed in the article, including a multicenter one.