To study the effects ofRheum officinale (RO) on epidermal growth factor (EGF) in renal hypertrophy in the diabetic rats were induced by streptozotocin. The results showed that renal hypertrophy occurred in the diabetic rats

but not in the RO-treated rats. Urine EGF was 38.2±16.6 ng/24 h at day 28 in the control

and it was significantly increased from day 7 in the diabetic rats (477.8±187.2 ng/24 h at day 7

328.2±153.9 ng/24 h at day 28)

while in the RO-treated rats it was significantly less than that in the diabetic rats (282.2±112.5 ng/24 h at day 7

258.3±72.3 ng/24 h at day 28). Moreover

glomerular filtration rate and renal blood flow reduced in RO-treated diabetic rats as compared with streptozotocin diabetic rats. Because kidney is the main source of urine EGF and EGF has been shown to induce renal growth both in vitro and in vivo. It is indicated that EGF may be able to initiate renal hypertrophy in diabetic rats

and the effect of RO on the renal hypertrophy is probably relative to the inhibition of renal EGF production resulted from RO treatment.