Effects of administering Tu-Chung extract on the gonadal and adrenal system in rats during exercise.
- VernacularTitle:杜仲樹皮エキスの投与が運動ラットの性腺‐副腎系に及ぼす影響
- Author:
GANG-JIAN QU
;
JIAN-SHI GAO
;
YOUSUKE TASAKI
;
AKIRA ITO
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Tu-chung extract;
geniposide;
exercise load;
urinary 17-KS;
serum testosterone
- From:Japanese Journal of Physical Fitness and Sports Medicine
1997;46(3):311-319
- CountryJapan
- Language:Japanese
-
Abstract:
This study examined the secretion capacity of the gonadal and adrenal cortex systems and the morphology of the adrenal cortex in male rats treated with Tu-chung (Eucommia ulmoides OLIV) extract, the main component of Tu-chung extract, geniposide, or both agents during exercise load testing.
Twenty-four 4-week-old male Wistar rats were used. The rats were divided into four groups : those treated with Tu-chung extract and geniposide (n=7), those treated with Tu-chung extract (n=6), those treated with geniposide (n=7) and a control group treated with distilled water. The dose of each agent was 0.1 ml/100g body weight. The agents were administered orally for 25 days. For the exercise load test, a treadmill for small animals was used, with a tilting angle set at 0. Exercise load testing was performed for 30 min (2-min warm up and 28-min running) daily for 25 days. The running speed was 20 m/min for the first 5 days, and then increased by 5 m/min every 5 days.
The following results were obtained.
1. The relative weight of the adrenal gland (gland weight/100 g body weight) in the group treated with Tu-chung extract and geniposide was significantly higher than that in the group treated with geniposide or the control group (p<0.01) . The relative weight of the adrenal gland in the group treated with Tu-chung extract was significantly higher than that in the group treated with geniposide or the control group (p<0.01, p<0.001) . Furthermore, the relative gland weight in the group treated with geniposide was significantly higher than that in the control group (p<0.05) .
2. In the group treated with Tu-chung extract and geniposide, the group treated with Tu-chung extract and the group treated with geniposide, the relative gland weight of the testis (testis weight/100g body weight) was significantly higher than that in the control group (p<0.001) . However, there were no significant differences among the three groups.
3. The 24-h urinary excretion of 17-ketosteroid (17-KS) in the group treated with Tu-chung extract and geniposide was significantly higher than that in the group treated with Tu-chung extract, the group treated with geniposide or the control group (p<0.01, p<0.01, p<0.001) . In the group treated with geniposide, the 24-h urinary excretion of 17-KS was significantly higher than that in the control group (p<0.05) .
4. In the three groups treated with Tu-chung extract and/or geniposide, serum testosterone levels were significantly higher than those in the control group (p<0.001, p0.05, p<0.05) .
5. Concerning the morphology of the adrenal cortex, the thickness of the reticular layer of the adrenal cortex was most markedly increased in the group treated with Tu-chung extract and geniposide, followed in order by the group treated with Tu-chung extract, the group treated with geniposide and the control group.
Administration of Tu-chung extract and the main component of Tu-chung extract, geniposide, during exercise load testing significantly increased the weights of the adrenal gland and testis, and promoted testosterone secretion in the adrenal cortex reticular layer and testis.
These findings suggest that geniposide plays an important role in the pharmacological action of Tu-chung.
