An isoquinoline alkaloid, epiberberine (EPI), was identified to ameliorate DKD by Xiao et al. Using protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis and core gene screening, they found that EPI can dock with angiotensinogen (Agt) and disrupt the Agt-TGF-β/Smad2 pathway, thereby limiting MC proliferation and hypertrophy and ultimately ameliorating kidney damage in db/db mice 169. Here, AGT is linked to diabetic kidney disease.