ABSTRACT
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: It has been reported that apoptosis and oxidative stress are related to cyclophosphamide (CYC)-induced premature ovarian failure (POF). Therefore, anti-apoptotic and anti-oxidative stress treatments exhibit therapeutic efficacy in CYC-induced POF. Danggui Shaoyao San (DSS), which has been extensively used to treat gynecologic diseases, is found to inhibit apoptosis and reduce oxidative stress. However, the roles of DSS in regulating apoptosis and oxidative stress during CYC-induced POF, and its associated mechanisms are still unknown. AIM OF THE STUDY: This work aimed to investigate the roles and mechanisms of DSS in inhibiting apoptosis and oxidative stress in CYC-induced POF. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CYC (75 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally injected in mice to construct the POF mouse model for in vivo study. Thereafter, alterations of body weight, ovary morphology and estrous cycle were monitored to assess the ovarian protective properties of DSS. Serum LH and E2 levels were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was employed for examining ovarian pathological morphology and quantifying follicles in various stages. Meanwhile, TUNEL staining and apoptosis-related proteins were adopted for evaluating apoptosis. Oxidative stress was measured by the levels of ROS, MDA, and 4-HNE. Western blot (WB) assay was performed to detect proteins related to the SIRT1/p53 pathway. KGN cells were used for in vitro experiment. TBHP stimulation was carried out for establishing the oxidative stress-induced apoptosis cell model. Furthermore, MTT assay was employed for evaluating the protection of DSS from TBHP-induced oxidative stress. The anti-apoptotic ability of DSS was evaluated by hoechst/PI staining, JC-1 staining, and apoptosis-related proteins. Additionally, the anti-oxidative stress ability of DSS was measured by detecting the levels of ROS, MDA, and 4-HNE. Proteins related to SIRT1/p53 signaling pathway were also measured using WB and immunofluorescence (IF) staining. Besides, SIRT1 expression was suppressed by EX527 to further investigate the role of SIRT1 in the effects of DSS against apoptosis and oxidative stress. RESULTS: In the in vivo experiment, DSS dose-dependently exerted its anti-apoptotic, anti-oxidative stress, and ovarian protective effects. In addition, apoptosis, apoptosis-related protein and oxidative stress levels were inhibited by DSS treatment. DSS treatment up-regulated SIRT1 and down-regulated p53 expression. From in vitro experiment, it was found that DSS treatment protected KGN cells from TBHP-induced oxidative stress injury. Besides, DSS administration suppressed the apoptosis ratio, apoptosis-related protein levels, mitochondrial membrane potential damage, and oxidative stress. SIRT1 suppression by EX527 abolished the anti-apoptotic, anti-oxidative stress, and ovarian protective effects, as discovered from in vivo and in vitro experiments. CONCLUSIONS: DSS exerts the anti-apoptotic, anti-oxidative stress, and ovarian protective effects in POF mice, and suppresses the apoptosis and oxidative stress of KGN cells through activating SIRT1 and suppressing p53 pathway.
Subject(s)
Menopause, Premature , Primary Ovarian Insufficiency , Humans , Female , Mice , Animals , Primary Ovarian Insufficiency/chemically induced , Primary Ovarian Insufficiency/drug therapy , Primary Ovarian Insufficiency/prevention & control , Tumor Suppressor Protein p53/metabolism , Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism , Sirtuin 1/metabolism , Oxidative Stress , Apoptosis , Cyclophosphamide/toxicity , Signal TransductionABSTRACT
Asperosaponin VI (AS6), as the quality marker of Dipsaci Radix, is verified to exert therapeutic effect on alleviating recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA). However, due to the lack of relevant research, its molecular mechanism is still unclear. We retrieved targets for AS6 and RSA, and then used their overlapped targets for PPI analysis. In addition, we used GO and KEGG enrichment analyses, and molecular docking to investigate the anti-RSA mechanisms of AS6. Furthermore, we conducted in vitro experiments to validate the predictions of network pharmacology. Results showed that a total of 103 AS6-associated targets and 2084 RSA-associated targets, with 49 targets overlapped. GO enrichment analysis showed 845 significant biological processes like decidualization, while KEGG pathway enrichment analysis revealed 76 significant entries including 18 signaling pathways, which were closely linked to PI3K-Akt, HIF-1, TNF, IL-17, and VEGF signaling pathways, etc. Molecular docking findings verified that AS6 had tight link with the key targets including JUN, CASP3, STAT3, SRC, and PTGS2. Notably, in vitro experiments revealed that AS6 treatment could exert lower expressions of JUN, pro-CASP3, CASP3, STAT3, SRC, and PTGS2 in decidual cells compared with progesterone despite the expressions of STAT3, SRC, and PTGS2 with no significant difference, and mifepristone could interfere with the effects. In general, numerous targets and multiple pathways involve during the process of AS6 treatment against RSA. Moreover, our in vitro research first reported that AS6 may regulate the expressions of key targets (JUN, CASP3, STAT3, SRC, and PTGS2) in decidual cells to promote decidualization, thus treating RSA.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Zuogui pills (ZGP), a classical prescription of traditional Chinese medicine, have been widely used in the treatment of ovarian aging. Previous studies have demonstrated its efficacy on protecting ovarian aging, and the mechanisms were mostly relevant to inhibiting the apoptosis of follicles and activating the primordial follicles. However, whether ZGP could stimulate the oogonial stem cells (OSCs) to refresh the follicle pool remains poorly understood. PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of ZGP on the stemness of OSCs in cyclophosphamide (Cy)-induced ovarian aging. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into 8 groups: control group, model group, ZGP groups (low / high dose groups), estradiol valerate (EV) groups (low / high dose groups), DAPT group and DAPT+ZGP-L group. After modeling with Cy, the ZGP groups and EV groups were treated with ZGP and EV for 8 weeks respectively. Meanwhile, the DAPT groups were treated with DAPT twice a week. Additionally, OSCs were also isolated after modeling, and then treated with drug serum containing ZGP or EV. Ovarian volume and the ratio of weight of total ovaries to the body weight were measured. The serum hormones were measured by ELISA. Quantities and location of OSCs in ovaries were detected by flow cytometry and immunofluorescence. Cell viability was measured by CCK8. And OSCs were identified by immunofluorescence. Biomarkers of germ cells, stem cells and associated to differentiation and meiosis were detected by qPCR and western blot. Proteins in Notch signaling pathway were detected by western blot and immunofluorescence. RESULTS: After treating with ZGP, ovarian volume and the ratio of weight of total ovaries to the body weight increased. ZGP could increase serum AMH and E2 level and decrease serum FSH level. Quantities and cell viability of OSCs increased after ZGP treatment in vivo and in vitro. In addition, treatment with ZGP could increase not only the expression of MVH, Oct4 and DAZL, but also the expression of ZP1 and ZP2. Furthermore, ZGP could up-regulate the expression of Notch intracellular domain (NICD), HES1 and HES5. After blocking the Notch signaling pathway, ZGP could increase not only the expression of NICD, HES1 and HES5, but also the expression of MVH, Oct4, DAZL, ZP1 and ZP3. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the mechanism of ZGP on treating ovarian aging may be relevant to maintain the stemness of OSCs by up-regulating Notch signaling pathway, which added the mechanism of ZGP on the perspective of OSCs at first time.
ABSTRACT
CNKI, PubMed and other databases were retrieved to extract eligible randomized controlled trial(RCT) about modified Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction(MXZD) combined with Western medicine(trial group) versus Western medicine alone(control group) in the treatment of leiomyoma. Therefore, a total of 25 RCTs were included, involving 2 328 patients. Bias risk evaluation tool in Cochrane Handbook 5.1.0 was used for evaluating the quality of these RCTs. Meta-analysis was performed for the reported indicators, including total efficiency, serum hormone level [progesterone(P), luteinizing hormone(LH), estradiol(E_2), follicle stimulating hormone(FSH)], uterine size, fibroids size and adverse reactions by using Stata 14.0 software. Meta-analysis showed that the total efficiency(RR=1.21,95%CI[1.17,1.25],P<0.05) of trial group was better than that of control group. Serum hormone level(WMD_P=-3.86,95%CI[-4.31,-3.41],P<0.05; WMD_(LH)=-3.64,95%CI[-4.47,-2.82],P<0.05; WMD_(E_2)=-39.99,95%CI[-53.45,-26.52],P<0.05; WMD_(FSH)=-3.79,95%CI[-4.86,-2.72],P<0.05), uterine size(WMD=-50.02,95%CI[-55.98,-44.06],P<0.05), fibroids size(WMD=-15.79,95%CI[-18.11,-13.46],P<0.05) and adverse reactions(RR=0.65,95%CI[0.48,0.88],P<0.05) of trial group were all lower than those of control group, with statistical significances. Trial sequential analysis(TSA) was performed by using TSA 0.9 software, and showed a reliable therapeutic effect of the experimental group. In short, our study indicated that modified Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction combined with Western medicine had a better therapeutic effect on leiomyoma than Western medicine alone, but more high-quality studies are needed to verify this conclusion in the future.
Subject(s)
Drugs, Chinese Herbal , Leiomyoma , Medicine , Humans , Leiomyoma/drug therapyABSTRACT
Pregnant patients with ß-thalassemia are more likely to have progressive anemia which expose them to risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, blood transfusion, and iron overload. Results from our previous study indicated that Colla corii asini (CCA, E'jiao), a natural ingredient of traditional Chinese medicine, could significantly increase hemoglobin level of pregnant women with ß- thalassemia, but the underlying molecular mechanism was unclear. Thus, we applied high-throughput transcriptome sequencing to study the transcriptomic change before and after the CCA treatment. Twenty eligible pregnant women were recruited and randomized to either the CCA treatment group or the blank control group in a 3:1 ratio. Patients in the treatment group orally received daily 15 g CCA powder for 4 weeks. We analyzed the therapeutic effect indexes and the transcriptomic change in subjects' peripheral blood before and after treatment. We found that ß CD 41-42(-TTCT)/ßA was the main genotype of the subjects. The regulatory impact of CCA treatment became more evident among the subjects of genotype ß CD 41-42(-TTCT)/ßA. Gene ontogenesis analysis revealed that the top five molecular functions of differentially expressed genes were involved in membrane functionality and cellular structure. We further identified two consistent upregulated genes ZNF471 and THOC5 in the effective treatment group, which were engaged in Kruppel-associated box (KRAB) domain-containing zinc-finger protein pathway and THOC5 pathway, respectively. Based on our current findings, we hypothesize that the anti-anemia effect of CCA on pregnant women with ß-thalassemia might be related to translation regulation of spectrin synthesis, membrane stability, and eventually prolonged the life span of erythrocytes.
Subject(s)
Gelatin/therapeutic use , Gene Expression Regulation/drug effects , Hematologic Agents/therapeutic use , Medicine, Chinese Traditional/methods , Nuclear Proteins/genetics , Repressor Proteins/genetics , beta-Thalassemia/drug therapy , Administration, Oral , Adult , Erythrocytes/drug effects , Erythrocytes/metabolism , Erythrocytes/pathology , Female , High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing , Humans , Nuclear Proteins/agonists , Nuclear Proteins/metabolism , Pregnancy , Proteomics/methods , Repressor Proteins/agonists , Repressor Proteins/metabolism , Signal Transduction , Spectrin/genetics , Spectrin/metabolism , Transcriptome/drug effects , beta-Thalassemia/genetics , beta-Thalassemia/metabolism , beta-Thalassemia/pathologyABSTRACT
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Zuogui Pills (ZGP), which is a classical prescription of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), has been reported to be widely used in the treatment of premature ovarian failure (POF). AIM OF THE STUDY: To investigate the therapeutic effects of ZGP on the treatment of POF induced by chemotherapy, and elucidate the potential molecular mechanism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Female 8-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats (Nâ¯=â¯54) were randomized to six groups, containing the Control group, Model group, three ZGP groups and Triptorelin group which was served as a positive control. The Triptorelin group received triptorelin injection ten days before model establishment by cyclophosphamide. The three ZGP groups (high dose group, medium dose group and low dose group) were given a daily intragastric administration of ZGP at doses of 3.2, 1.6 and 0.8â¯g/kg for sixty days. We observed the general growth of rats and examed the estrous cycle and the rate of pregnancy, ovarian ultrastructures, follicles and corpora lutea numbers. The serum hormone concentrations were measured by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). To explore the molecular mechanism of the effect, gene and protein expression levels of Bax, Bcl-2 and Cyt-c related to apoptosis were determined by quantitative PCR (qPCR), Western Blot and Immunohistochemistry analysis, respectively. RESULTS: After treating with ZGP, though the rate of pregnancy showed no significant difference, the estrous cycle, ovarian ultrastructures, numbers of follicles and corpora lutea were improved significantly. And ZGP led to a significant lower concentration of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) in the serum, and the concentration of oestradiol (E2) was increased. Furthermore, a significant downregulation of Bax, cytochrome c (Cyt-c), and upregulation of B cell lymphoma/leukemia-2 (Bcl-2) both on gene and protein levels were observed after the administration with ZGP. And effects showed a positive correlation with the dosages. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggested that ZGP exerted significant effect on POF, which was meditated by inhibiting mitochondria-dependent apoptosis in the follicles.
Subject(s)
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology , Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use , Mitochondria/drug effects , Ovarian Follicle/drug effects , Primary Ovarian Insufficiency/drug therapy , Animals , Apoptosis/drug effects , Cyclophosphamide/pharmacology , Disease Models, Animal , Estradiol/blood , Estrous Cycle/drug effects , Female , Follicle Stimulating Hormone/blood , Male , Medicine, Chinese Traditional , Ovarian Follicle/pathology , Primary Ovarian Insufficiency/pathology , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , TabletsABSTRACT
For centuries, the Chinese herb Cuscuta chinensis has been applied clinically for abortion prevention in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Total flavones extracted from Cuscuta chinensis (TFCC) are one of the active components in the herb and also display anti-abortion effect similar to the unprocessed material. However, how TFCC exerts the anti-abortion effect remains largely unknown. In this study, we aim at characterizing the anti-abortion effects of TFCC and its underlying molecular mechanism in vitro and in vivo using human primary decidua cells and a mifepristone-induced abortion model in rat, respectively. The damage to the decidua caused by mifepristone in vivo was reversed by TFCC treatment in a dosage-dependent manner. High dosage of TFCC significantly upregulated the expression of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and prolactin receptor (PRLR) in decidua tissue but downregulated the expression of p-ERK. Furthermore, we detected higher level of p-ERK and p-p38 in primary decidua cells from spontaneous abortion while treatment by TFCC downregulated their expression. Our results suggest TFCC mediates its anti-abortion effect by interfering with MAPK signaling pathway.
ABSTRACT
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Pulsatilla decoction (PD) is a classical prescription in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and has been reported to have inhibitory effects on Candida albicans proliferation. STUDY AIM: To investigate the therapeutic effects of PD in the treatment of Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) and elucidate the potential mechanism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Female BALB/c mice (Nâ¯=â¯90) were randomized to six treatment groups, including the Control group, Model group, three PD groups and Fluconazole group which served as a positive control (20â¯mg/kg weekly). The three PD groups (low dose group, medium dose group and high dose group) were given a daily intragastric gavage of PD at doses of 5, 10 and 20â¯g/kg, respectively. Five animals from each group were euthanized on Day 4, Day 7 and Day 14 after treatment. Colony forming unit (CFU) was measured by the serial dilution method. The degree of infection was assessed by Gram staining, Periodic acid schiff (PAS) staining, Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The serum inflammation levels were determined by a Luminex assay. Gene and protein expression levels of components of the Dectin-1 signaling pathway were determined by Real-time PCR, Western-blot and immunohistochemistry, respectively. RESULTS: The administration of PD significantly decreased the fungal load from Day 7 post-infection onwards and decreased the number of visible microorganisms based on findings from Gram staining, PAS staining and SEM. H&E staining indicated that the impaired histological profiles were improved in all three PD groups. PD led to a significantly lower level of IL-23 in the serum; the levels of IL-10 and TNF-α were also decreased, although the differences were not significant. Furthermore, a substantial downregulation of Dectin-1, CARD9 and NF-κB mRNA levels and Dectin-1, Syk, CARD9 and NF-κB protein levels was observed after the administration of PD. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that PD exerts inhibitory effects on C. albicans proliferation, adhesion and inflammation and simultaneously downregulates the expression levels of important genes and proteins associated with the Dectin-1 pathway, highlighting the potential application of PD to improve the clinical management of VVC.
Subject(s)
Antifungal Agents/pharmacology , Antifungal Agents/therapeutic use , Candidiasis, Vulvovaginal/drug therapy , Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology , Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use , Lectins, C-Type/metabolism , Animals , Candida albicans/drug effects , Candidiasis, Vulvovaginal/metabolism , Candidiasis, Vulvovaginal/microbiology , Candidiasis, Vulvovaginal/pathology , Cell Proliferation/drug effects , Cytokines/blood , Female , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Phytotherapy , Signal Transduction , Vagina/drug effects , Vagina/microbiology , Vagina/pathologyABSTRACT
Pelvic inflammatory disease is an infectious disease. At present, Western medicine is mainly treated with antibiotics. However, the situation of antibiotics abuse is so grim that the potential risks such as the imbalance of bacteria, the resistance of bacteria, the production of super bacteria and the increase of adverse reactions are becoming more and more serious. Therefore, it is urgent to find a way to supplement or substitute antibiotics for the treatment of this disease. Traditional Chinese medicine treatment of the disease is effective and has its unique advantages. This paper mainly discusses the advantages and evidences of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatment of pelvic inflammatory disease, to further prove the effectiveness and safety of TCM treatment and to provide medical evidence of reducing antibiotics use.
Subject(s)
Medicine, Chinese Traditional , Pelvic Inflammatory Disease/therapy , Drugs, Chinese Herbal , Female , Humans , PhytotherapyABSTRACT
Recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) is a common clinical condition, but its reasons remain unknown in 37-79% of the affected women. The steroid hormone progesterone (P4) is an integral mediator of early pregnancy events, exerting its effects via the progesterone receptor (PR). Dipsaci Radix (DR) has long been used for treating gynecological diseases in Chinese medicine, while its molecular mechanisms and active ingredients are still unclear. We report here the progesterone-like effects of the alcohol extraction and Asperosaponin VI from DR in primary decidual cells and HeLa cell line. We first determined the safe concentration of Asperosaponin VI in the cells with MTT assay and then found by using dual luciferase reporter and Western blotting that Asperosaponin VI significantly increased PR expression. Moreover, we explored the mechanisms of action of the DR extracts and Asperosaponin VI, and the results showed that they could activate Notch signaling, suggesting that they may function by promoting decidualization.
Subject(s)
Decidua/drug effects , Receptors, Notch/metabolism , Receptors, Progesterone/metabolism , Saponins/pharmacology , Signal Transduction/drug effects , Decidua/cytology , Dipsacaceae/chemistry , Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology , Female , HeLa Cells , Humans , Plant Roots/chemistry , Pregnancy , Primary Cell CultureABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To explore the Kidney-tonifying and abortion preventing effect of Shou Tai Wan (STW) by different extration methods on the SD Rats' abortion model. METHODS: Applied hydroxycarbamide and mifepristone (RU-486) to establish the abortion model of corpus luteum inhibition due to Kidney deficiency (disease-syndorme combination model) on SD, rats. Treated the model rats with STW formula. Observed the uterus condition and recorded the embryo number and the miscarriage rate of each rat. 4 kinds of extractions including water extract of STW (A liquid), alcohol extract of STW (B liquid), after the ethanol water extract residue of STW (C liquid) and B + C liquid. Visual observed the uterine lesions embryos and calculated obortion rate. Used chemluninescence methed to cheek the serum estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P) level. Used quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) to analyze the different of the PR mRNR between the model group and the treated group. RESULTS: Compared with the model group, the abortion rate of B + C liquid was greatly deduced and the embryo number of B + C liquid group, the E2 and P levels were obviously increased in the treated groups. CONCLUSION: STW (B + C) has the best effect of tonifying the kidney and preventing abortion.
Subject(s)
Abortion, Spontaneous/prevention & control , Drugs, Chinese Herbal/isolation & purification , Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology , Kidney Diseases/prevention & control , Abortion, Spontaneous/blood , Abortion, Spontaneous/chemically induced , Animals , Disease Models, Animal , Drug Combinations , Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage , Estradiol/blood , Female , Kidney Diseases/blood , Kidney Diseases/chemically induced , Male , Plants, Medicinal/chemistry , Pregnancy , Progesterone/blood , RNA, Messenger/genetics , RNA, Messenger/metabolism , Random Allocation , Rats , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Receptors, Progesterone/genetics , Receptors, Progesterone/metabolism , Renal Agents/administration & dosage , Renal Agents/isolation & purification , Renal Agents/pharmacology , Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods , Uterus/drug effects , Uterus/metabolismABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical effects of Prescription Zhuyun-III (ZYIII) on early pregnant women diagnosed as threatened abortion, and its mechanism in immunity and endocrine by determining serum Th1- and Th2-type cytokines, progesterone, and beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-HCG). METHODS: The treatment group comprised 30 early pregnant women diagnosed as threatened abortion of deficiency syndrome of Pi, Shen, or both. The control group consisted of 20 normal early pregnant women of similar gestational age. Patients in the treatment group were administered with ZYIII for 4 weeks. Peripheral blood samples were collected pre- and post-treatment from both the treatment and the control groups. Serum Th1-type cytokine [interleukin-2 (IL-2)] and Th2-type cytokine [interleukin-10 (IL-10)] were determined by flow cytometry, and serum progesterone and beta-HCG were determined by ELISA. RESULTS: (1) The treatment was effective in 26 and ineffective in 4 patients of the treatment group. Therefore, the cure percentage was 86.67%. (2) In the treatment group before the treatment, IL-2 was significantly higher, IL-10 tended to be less, and the Th1/Th2 balance shifted toward Th1 compared with those in the control group. (3) After the treatment, IL-2 was decreased, IL-10 was increased, and IL-2/IL-10 was decreased. Both progesterone and beta-HCG were increased. Changes of progesterone were positively correlated with changes of IL-10, whereas changes of beta-HCG were negatively correlated with changes of IL-2. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that ZYIII has an evident function of protecting the fetus, and one of its mechanisms is inhibiting the secretion of Th1 cytokines, promoting the secretion of Th2 cytokines, and recovering the pathological shift of the Th1/Th2 balance. The other possible mechanism is increasing serum progesterone and beta-HCG concentrations. Moreover, there are some correlations between the above two effects.
Subject(s)
Abortion, Threatened , Chorionic Gonadotropin/blood , Cytokines/blood , Medicine, Chinese Traditional , Progesterone/blood , Th1 Cells/immunology , Th2 Cells/immunology , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Female , Humans , PregnancyABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of bushen tiaochong recipe (BSTCR) on rats' ovarian granulosa cell (GC) proliferation, steroidogenesis and follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR), and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) mRNA expression using serum pharmacological method. METHODS: Rats' GCs were incubated with 10% blank serum (as negative control group), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)-containing serum (S-FSH, as positive control group), or BSTCR (in different dosages) containing serum (S-BSTCR, as the BSTCR groups) for 48 h. 3H-TdR incorporation was then performed; DNA was measured to analyze the distribution of GCs in the cell cycle and their proliferation index (PI) using a flow cytometer; estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P) content in the culture fluid were examined by radioimmunoassay; and levels of FSHR and IGF-1 mRNA expression in GCs were measured by real-time RT-PCR. RESULTS: A dose-dependent increase of 3H-TdR incorporation in GC was shown in the BSTCR groups. Cells in G0/G1 phase had markedly less, while those in S phase had a significantly higher increase in the BSTCR groups compared with the negative control group. A high value of PI was also shown in the BSTCR groups, especially in the high dose group where the influence of cell proliferation was stronger than that in the positive control group. The levels of E2 and P in the BSTCR groups of all dosages were significantly higher than those in the negative control group, and did not show any significant difference compared with those in the positive control group. Levels of FSHR and IGF-1 mRNA expression in the BSTCR groups increased in a dose-dependent manner at levels higher than those in the negative control group. CONCLUSION: S-BSTCR can obviously stimulate the proliferation and steroidogenesis of ovarian GCs. It is speculated that BSTCR could play a regulatory action on ovarian function through two different pathways of endocrine and autocrine by promoting FSHR and IGF-1 mRNA expression.
Subject(s)
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology , Gene Expression Regulation/drug effects , Granulosa Cells/cytology , Granulosa Cells/drug effects , Steroids/biosynthesis , Animals , Cell Cycle/drug effects , Cell Proliferation/drug effects , DNA/biosynthesis , Estradiol/pharmacology , Female , Humans , Insulin-Like Growth Factor I/genetics , Insulin-Like Growth Factor I/metabolism , Progesterone/pharmacology , RNA, Messenger/genetics , RNA, Messenger/metabolism , Rats , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Receptors, FSH/genetics , Receptors, FSH/metabolism , TritiumABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To probe the effect of Zuogui pill (ZGP), a Chinese compound recipe for tonifying Shen, on ovarian function in mice with premature ovarian failure (POF). METHODS: BALB/C female mice model of POF was established by multiple sites subcutaneous injection of ovarian antigen elicited with ovarian tissue of SD female rats, and treated with ZGP at different time points in the modeling, with prednisone as positive control. The levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and estradiol (E2) in peripheral blood were measured with radioimmunoassay, and ovarian antibody (AoAb) was determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The mRNA expression of ovarian growth and differentiation factor-9 was detected with in situ hybridization. RESULTS: POF model mice manifested such abnormalities as increased FSH, decreased E2, and positive AoAb in peripheral blood, with lymphocytes infiltration in ovarian mesanchyma, reduction of GDF-9 mRNA positive oocytes, and decrease of growing and mature follicles. ZGP could reduce the increase of FSH, increase the level of E2, inhibit the production of AoAb, raise the GDF-9 mRNA positive cells of oocytes, increase the number of growing and mature follicles. The clinical efficacy was more significant in early stage than in advanced stage. CONCLUSION: ZGP can improve immune inflammatory injury of ovary, and shows therapeutic effect on POF.
Subject(s)
Autoimmune Diseases/prevention & control , Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use , Ovary/drug effects , Phytotherapy , Primary Ovarian Insufficiency/prevention & control , Animals , Autoimmune Diseases/etiology , Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology , Female , Medicine, Chinese Traditional , Mice , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Ovarian Follicle/pathology , Ovary/immunology , Ovary/physiopathology , Primary Ovarian Insufficiency/etiology , Random Allocation , Rats , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Yin Deficiency/drug therapyABSTRACT
To optimize the extraction process for zhuyun 3# pill by supercritical CO2. Five kinds of supercritical CO2 extraction method had been applied. The methods were estimated by the pharmacological results and the content of flovone. The best extraction process for zhuyun 3# pill was that Lüzhenzi, Baizhu and Xuduan were extracted with supercritical CO2 and the residue was estracted by water, the other five kinds of medicinal materials were extracted by water.