Objective: To study on the influence of 18β-glycyrrhetinic acid(GA) on rat kidney. Method: Totally Wistar rats were randomly and equally divided into four groups:normal group

low dose GA group

medium dose GA group

and high dose GA group(25

50

100 mg·kg-1). Blood collection from cardiac puncture was conducted at the 6th

14th

22nd

30th week after GA intervention and at 4 weeks after GA withdrawal

to detect serum creatinine(SCr)

and blood urea nitrogen(BUN) levels. HE staining was done for kidney histopathological observation. Result: With the progress of intervention until 4 weeks after drug withdrawal

low-does

medium-does and high-does GA groups had no significant difference in SCr and BUN levels compared with the normal group. Compared with the normal group

serum sodium and chloride ions were increased. However

4 weeks after drug withdrawal

serum sodium and chloride ions in each group were decreased compared with the previous time points

getting close to the normal group. Serum potassium ions in these intervention groups were decreased as compared with the normal group. 4 weeks after drug withdrawal

serum potassium ions in each intervention group were increased

compared with the previous time points

getting close to the normal group. There was no statistical difference in above indicators at the same time points between the low-does

medium-dose and high-dose GA groups. Compared with the normal group

no abnormal change was found in kidney pathological morphology at each time point by HE staining method. Conclusion: 18β-glycyrrhetinic acid has no significant effect on rats' blood urea nitrogen

creatinine value and kidney pathological morphology. It can lead to mild elevation of serum sodium and chloride ions and the decrease of serum potassium ions. The influence can be eliminated after certain time of drug withdrawal.