To investigate the mechanism of lipid lowering effect of the Astragalus mongholicus and Angelica sinensis compound (A&A) on nephrotic hyperlipidemia in rats Methods Rats with nephrotic syndrome from accelerated nephrotoxic serum nephritis were used They were divided into two groups: A&A treatment group and nephrotic control group Normal rats were used as a normal control group Serum lipids, serum lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) were assayed biochemically and enzymatically mRNAs of hepatic hydroxy methyl glutaryl CoA reductase (HMG CoA R) and low density lipoprotein receptor (LDL R) were assessed by Northern blot Results In nephrotic control group hyperlipidemia was found The activities of serum LPL and LCAT were low Hepatic HMG CoA R mRNA increased temporarily at the early stage while LDL R mRNA decreased gradually In A&A treatment group, serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low density lipoproteins (LDL) and very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) were significantly lower than those in nephrotic control group There was no change in the amount of hepatic HMG CoA R mRNA, but hepatic LDL R mRNA and activities of serum LPL and LCAT increased significantly Conclusions A&A alleviates hyperlipidemia consider~ably in nephrotic rats A&A improves disorders of lipid metabolism perhaps through up regulating the expression of hepatic LDL R gene and through increasing the activities of serum LPL and LCAT To investigate the mechanism of lipid lowering effect of the Astragalus mongholicus and Angelica sinensis compound (A&A) on nephrotic hyperlipidemia in rats Methods Rats with nephrotic syndrome from accelerated nephrotoxic serum nephritis were used They were divided into two groups: A&A treatment group and nephrotic control group Normal rats were used as a normal control group serum lipids, serum lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) were assayed biochemically and enzymatically mRNAs of hepatic hydroxy methyl glutaryl CoA reductase (HMG CoA R) and low density lipoprotein receptor (LDL R) were assessed by Northern blot Results In nephrotic control group hyperlipidemia was found the activities of serum LPL and LCAT were low Hepatic HMG CoA R mRNA increased ease at the early stage while LDL R mRNA decreased gradually in A&A treatment group, serum total cholesterol ( TC), triglyceride (TG), low density lipoprot Eins (LDL) and very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) were significantly lower than those in nephrotic control group There was no change in the amount of hepatic HMG CoA R mRNA, but hepatic LDL R mRNA and activities of serum LPL and LCAT increased significantly A&A alleviates hyperlipidemia consider~ably in nephrotic rats A&A improves disorders of lipid metabolism perhaps through up regulating the expression of hepatic LDL R gene and through increasing the activities of serum LPL and LCAT