TIMP1 and liver dysplastic nodule: Qi et al. (2015b) showed that HPS could slow down the progress of DN by inhibiting the expression of PKC protein and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) mRNA in glomerular mesangial cells or by inhibiting the overexpression of PCKα and its downstream VEGF. Jin Zhisheng (Jin et al., 2017b; Jin et al., 2017c) studied the effects of HPS at dosages of 200, 100, and 50 mg/kg on kidney tissues of db/db mice with early DN.