OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical efficacy of Gengxueting (GXT) in treating hysteromyoma and its effects on estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR).

METHODSSixty-four hysteromyoma patients with surgical indication were equally assigned to the treated group and the control group. Patients in the treated group were treated with GXT one capsule every day for 90 consecutive days before surgical operation, while those in the control group were treated with surgery alone. Serum levels of reproductive hormones were determined in the follicular phase before medication and one day before operation by RIA, and colored Doppler ultrasound examination was conducted for measuring the size of uterus and myoma. Moreover the protein expressions of ER and PR in tumor and uterine muscular tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry assay with streptomycin avidin-biotin peroxidase complex method.

RESULTSIn the treated group after medication, the serum level of estradiol was (167.0 +/- 85.9) pmol/L, progesterone (1.9 +/- 1.0) nmol/L, follicle-stimulating hormone (10.4 +/- 2.1) IU/L, and luteinizing (12.0 +/- 9. 8) IU/L, all reached the levels of early follicular phase, with the maximal size of myoma significantly decreased from (380.4 +/- 21.0) cm3 to (162.3 +/- 14. 8) cm3 (P < 0.01); and the ER and PR expressions in tumor tissue were significantly lower than those in the control group respectively (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONExpressions of ER and PR in hysteromyoma tissue could be significantly reduced by medication of GXT, which leads to significant shrinkage of tumor size and improvement of clinical symptoms.