Icariin drastically reduced the mRNA level of TGF-β1 (Fig. 3a) while increased the levels of HGF (Fig. 3b), BMP-7 (Fig. 3c), WT-1 (Fig. 3d), and Pax-2 (Fig. 3e) in CKD rats. This evidence concerns the gene PAX2 and chronic kidney disease.