Endometriosis, a common and complicated disease in gynecology. is characterized by strong invasive-ness, wide implant and easy recurrence. At present, its pathogenesis is still not clear and there is no satisfactory therapy, so it has become a hot issue in gynecology research. This paper reviewed its pathogenesis and Traditional Chinese Medicine and West ern Medicine treatment.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of Bushen Huayu Qutan Recipe (BHQR), a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, on local ovarian factors in androgen-sterilized rats (ASR). METHODS: One hundred and five 9-day-old SD rats were randomly divided into normal control group (15 rats) and ASR group (90 rats). ASR was induced by subcutaneous injection of testosterone propionate, and the rat model of ASR was established successfully in 30 rats in the ASR group. Thirty ASR rats were randomly divided into untreated group and BHQR-treated group. There were 15 rats in each group. The rats in BHQR-treated group were intragastrically administered with BHQR. The rats in the normal control and untreated groups were intragastrically administered with distilled water. They were all treated for 30 days. The levels of serum testosterone and insulin (INS) were measured by radioimmunoassay. The inhibin (INH) level, and the expressions of insulin-like growth factor-I(IGF-I) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in ovary were determined by immunohistochemical method. RESULTS: None of the ASR ovulated and all the rats in the normal control group ovulated. The rate of ovulation in BHQR-treated group was 66.67%. The serum concentrations of testosterone and INS in the untreated group were significantly higher than those in the normal control group (P<0.05), and the serum concentrations of testosterone and INS in BHQR-treated group were decreased as compared with the untreated group (P<0.05). The levels of ovarian INH, IGF-I and VEGF in the untreated group were significantly higher than those in the normal control group (P<0.01), and the levels of ovarian INH, IGF-I and VEGF in BHQR-treated group were decreased as compared with the untreated group (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: BHQR is an effective recipe in promoting ovulation, and the effects of BHQR on balancing the internal environment of ovary may be due to the reduction of serum INS level and decrease in the expressions of ovarian INH, IGF-I and VEGF.

Our ancestor found that some of the Chinese herbal drugs were toxic during their clinical practice. They graded the toxicity of Chinese herbal drugs into three degrees and thought that the term "toxicity of the Chinese herbal drugs" could be used in a broad and a narrow sense. In modern times, toxic components of the Chinese herbal drugs and their toxic mechanisms, especially the toxicity on the kidney, were further revealed. The factors that affect the toxicity of the Chinese herbal drugs include the species, preparation, dose and environment. To prevent the toxicity of the Chinese herbal drugs, we must strengthen the management of the Chinese herbal drugs. On the other hand, doctors' recognition of the toxicity of Chinese herbal drugs should be enhanced. At the same time, patients should be told to decoct and take Chinese herbal drugs correctly.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) and phosphorylation of tyrosine in androgen sterilized rats (ASRs) and the effects of Bushen Huoxue Huayu Recipe (BHHR), a compound Chinese herbal medicine for tonifying kidney and activating blood, on the ASRs, and to analyze the possible mechanism. METHODS: ASR models were established by means of testosterone injected subcutaneously at the age of 9 days. The model rats were randomly divided into BHHR group (n=15) and untreated group (n=15); the rats in normal group (n=15) were injected with oil. The rats in the BHHR group were treated with BHHR for 30 days, and the rats in model group and normal group were treated with distilled water for 30 days. Body weight and area under the curve (AUC) of insulin were measured after treatment. Expression of IRS-1 and phosphorylation of tyrosine in adipose tissue in ASRs were analysed by immunohistochemical method. RESULTS: The body weight and insulin AUC in the untreated group were increased and more than those in the BHHR group and the normal control group (P<0.05). Expression of IRS-1 and phosphorylation of tyrosine in normal group were significantly higher than those in the untreated group (P<0.05), and those in BHHR group were improved and significantly different from those in the untreated group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: BHHR can increase the expression of IRS-1 and phosphorylation of tyrosine in adipose tissue in IR rats, which may be one of its mechanisms in improving insulin sensitivity of the target tissues.

To observe the inhibitory effects of puerarin on angiopoiesis of endometriotic tissue, and to explore the regulatory effects of puerarin on tumor-related gene expression of endometriosis.

To study the effects of puerarin on the aromatase P450 (P450(arom)) mRNA expression and the effects of low-dose puerarin on transcription factors of the P450(arom) gene (P II) 5'-flanking region.

To investigate the effects of Bushen Shugan Recipe (BSSGR), a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, in regulating the hypothalamus-pituitary-ovarian axis (HPOA) in a rat model of stress-induced anorexia.

Objective:To explore the way to separate and culture eutopic and ectopic endometrial glandular cells and their stromal cells,providing an in vitro cell model of endometriosis for study of its mechanism. Methods:Digestion,filtration and sedimentation were used to isolate and culture the eutopic and ectopic endometrial glandular cells and their stromal cells. The estrogen level was imatated to study the way of promoting cell growth. Morphological characters of eutopic and ectopic endometrial cells were examined using optical microscope. Results:The success rate of separation and culture of normal control endometrial glandular cells and its stromal cells was 91.7%(11/12);of eutopic endometrial glandular cells and its stromal cells of endometriosis was 93.8%(15/16);of etopic endometrial glandular cells and its stromal cells of endometriosis was 75.0%(12/16) . Conclusion:The cultured eutopic and ectopic endometrial cells is more like human body feature than the endometriosis model of animals. So the isolation and culture of eutopic and ectopic endometrial glandular cells and their stromal cells may serve as an in vitro experimental model.