The profibrotic effect of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) in renal fibrosis is widely recognized, but its mechanism remains controversial especially in chronic progressive disease. In the present study, pioglitazone (Pio) and candesartan (CD), which are reported to inhibit PAI-1, were administered to spontaneously hypercholesterolemic (SHC) rats, a model of chronic progressive renal disease. Therapeutic effects and effects on the intrarenal plasmin cascade were examined. Eight-week-old SHC rats were used as controls. Oral administration of vehicle alone, Pio or CD was performed starting at 8 weeks of age and was continued for 24 weeks. The degree of renal fibrosis was evaluated by sirius red staining of kidney sections and by total collagen assay of renal homogenates. The renal PAI-1 protein level was assessed by Western blotting, and plasmin activity was analyzed by chromogenic assay and casein gel zymography. Urinary protein and blood urea nitrogen were significantly increased in the vehicle-treated group but the increase was attenuated in the Pio- and CD- treated groups. This correlated well with degree of fibrosis as assessed by sirius red staining and total collagen assay. The PAI-1 protein level was also increased significantly in the vehicle-treated group and the increase was attenuated in the Pio- and CD-treated groups. Despite the presumed plasmin inhibitory function of PAI-1, plasmin activity changed in parallel with PAI-1. These results suggest that Pio and CD inhibit PAI-1 and exert renoprotective effects against chronic progressive renal disease, but its action is independent of the regulatory function on plasmin activity.