Objective: To establish the vitro diabetic nephropathy model with high-glucose induced-rat glomerular mesangial cells to detect the inhibitory effect of ethyl acetate extract of Coreopsis tinctoria (AC) on cell proliferation and fibrosis factor expression. Method: High glucose-induced rat glomerular mesangial cells were treated with AC. The cells were divided into six groups:normal group

high-glucose-induced model group

high-glucose+AC groups

with concentrations of 25

50

100

150 mg·L-1. MTT and cell counting kit 8 (CCK8) were used to test the inhibitory effect of AC on cell proliferation. Real-time PCR and Western blot were used to test the inhibitory effect of AC on transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)

Collagen Ⅳ

fibronectin (FN) mRNA and protein expressions. Result: AC with concentrations of 25

50

100

150 mg·L-1 significantly inhibited the proliferation of glomerular mesangial cells of high-glucose-induced rats (P<0.01). AC with concentrations of 25

100

150 mg·L-1 significantly inhibited TGF-β1 mRNA and protein expressions (P<0.01). AC with concentrations of 100

150 mg·L-1 significantly inhibited Collagen IV mRNA and protein expressions (P<0.01). AC with concentrations of 50

100

150 mg·L-1 significantly inhibited FN mRNA and protein expressions (P<0.01). Conclusion: AC prevents the diabetic nephropathy renal fibrosis by suppressing proliferation of rat glomerular mesangial cells and fibrosis factor expression.