Objective: To study the effect of Yiqi Jiedufang (YQJDF) on the mitophagy in tubular epithelial cells of diabetic nephropathy (DN) rats and investigate the mechanism. Method: DN rat models were established in this study to observe the therapeutic effect of YQJDF on DN. The pathological changes in rat kidney were observed by using hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining after administration of YQJDF. Autophagic vacuoles in renal tubular epithelial cells of DN rats were tested by scanning electron microscopy. The protein expression levels of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3Ⅱ(MAP1LC3-Ⅱ)

sequestosome-1 (p62)

and Bcl-2/E1B 19 kDa-interacting protein 3-like (Nix) were detected by western blot. The expression level of Nix mRNA was detected by using real-time PCR. Result: as compared with the model group

YQJDF could increase the body weight of DN rats

improve the biochemical indicators of blood and urine such as blood urea nitrogen (BUN)

serum creatinine (SCr)

blood glucose (GLU)

triglyceride (TG) and cholesterol (CHOL)

albumin (Alb)(P<0.01). YQJDF can also inhibit the excessive mitophagy in renal tubular epithelial cells caused by DN

significantly decrease the protein expression levels of LC3-Ⅱ

P62

and Nix (P<0.01)

and decrease the mRNA expression levels of Nix (P<0.01). Conclusion: YQJDF has a better therapeutic effect on DN

which may be related to the regulation of mitophagy disorders caused by DN in renal tubular epithelial cells.