Abstract: AimTo investigate the effect of puerarin on expressions of MMP-2 and TIMP-2 in the kidney of diabetic rats. MethodsUninephrectomized male Wistar rats were used to induce diabetes by intraperitoneal injection of streptozocin (65 mg·kg^-1). Puerarin was given daily by intraperitoneal injection from the third day of induction of diabetes for 16 weeks. Using in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry to detect MMP-2， TIMP-2 mRNA expressions and MMP-2， TIMP-2， collagen IV and Laminin expressions in diabetic kidneys with image analysis system， Flow cytometry was used to detect the expressions of TGFβ1， MMP-2 and TIMP-2. ResultsCompared with those in kidneys of control group， expressions of MMP-2 mRNA and proteins were lower， while the expressions of both TGFβ1 and TIMP-2 were higher in the diabetic kidney (P<0.05). The level of MMP-2 expression was advanced， while expression of TIMP-2 was reduced by puerarin treatment (P<0.05). ConclusionPuerarin showed some renal protective effect on diabetic nephropathy， partly through inhibition of excessive deposition of glomeruli extracellular matrix by up-regulating MMP-2 and down-regulating TIMP-2 expressions besides reducing the blood glucose.