以“养阴益气活血”为治法的参芪复方治疗糖尿病肾病临床疗效确切，但作用机制不清。前期研究发现，参芪复方对糖尿病肾病肾小球足细胞具有保护作用，其机理与维持足细胞自噬通量密切相关。最新研究发现，Connexin 43(Cx 43)自噬环路在足细胞损伤过程中起到关键作用。本项目据此提出假说：参芪复方可通过调控Cx 43自噬环路，改善足细胞自噬通量，发挥保护足细胞的作用。本项目研究采用db/db小鼠模型，同时采用siRNA沉默Cx 43作为验证对照，在体探寻和验证参芪复方的作用规律和作用靶点；采用MPC5细胞高糖环境构建损伤模型，同时采用siRNA沉默Cx 43表达，氯喹抑制自噬小体融合，雷帕霉素诱导自噬作为验证对照，从细胞层面验证参芪复方干预Cx 43自噬环路的作用靶点。项目研究结果对揭示参芪复方治疗糖尿病肾病的作用机制，阐明“养阴益气活血”治法的科学内涵具有重要意义。

Shenqi compound prescription is the representative of "Nourishing Yin, nourishing qi and promoting blood circulation" therapy. Shenqi compound prescription has a definite clinical effect on diabetic nephropathy, but its mechanism is unclear. It was found that Shenqi compound prescription has protective effect on podocytes of diabetic nephropathy, and its mechanism is closely related to maintaining the autophagy flux in podocytes. Recently, it has been found that connexin 43 autophagy loop plays a key role in podocyte damage. So we hypothesized that Shenqi compound prescription can regulate connexin 43 autophagy loop, improve the autophagy flux of podocytes, and play the role of protecting podocytes. In this study, db/db mouse model was used, and the expression of connexin 43 silenced by siRNA was used as the verification control to explore and verify the action rule and target of Shenqi compound in the treatment of diabetic nephropathy in vivo; In vitro, MPC5 cell in high glucose environment was used to build the damage model, at the same time, connexin 43 silenced by siRNA 43 expression, chloroquine inhibited the fusion of autophagy, and rapamycin induced autophagy was used as the verification control, from the cell level to verify the intervention target of Shenqi compound prescription on connexin 43 autophagy loop. The results of the project are of great significance to reveal the mechanism of Shenqi compound prescription in the treatment of diabetic nephropathy and to clarify the scientific connotation of the treatment method of "Nourishing Yin, supplementing qi and activating blood circulation".