OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of Chinese herbs for nourishing Shen-yin and removing Xiang-fire (NYRF) on estrogen receptor (ER) expression in uterus and ovary of rats contaminated with nonylphenol (NP) or its bisphenol A (BPA) mixture, for exploring the action mechanism of NYRF in antagonizing the estrogen-mimetic activity of environmental endocrine disruptors (EEDs).

METHODSEEDs contaminated female SD rats, 3-week old, were divided into two groups, the treated group fed with NYRF and the control group with corn oil during the same period of contaminating for 15 days. The wet weight (WW) and organ coefficient (OC) of uterus in rats, as well as the ER protein and mRNA expressions in rat's uterus and ovary were detected and compared.

RESULTSAs compared with normal range, WW and OC increased significantly in the contaminated rats of the control group, with significantly down-regulated ER protein expression in uterus, and expressions of ER alpha and ER beta gene and protein in ovary (P<0.05). While in the treated group, the above-mentioned abnormalities of various indicators were markedly reversed to a certain extent (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONEEDs show estrogenic-mimetic action on productive organs, which could be antagonized by NYRF, resulting in the down-regulated mRNA and protein expressions of ER in reproductive organs, so as to reduce the sensibility of reproductive organs to EEDs, which is probably one of the acting mechanisms of NYRF.

Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Endocrine Disruptors ; toxicity ; Female ; Ovary ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Estrogen ; metabolism ; Uterus ; drug effects ; metabolism

Endocrine disruptors (e.g., polychlorinated biphenyls [PCBs], dichlorodiphenyl-trichloroethane [DDT], dioxin, and some pesticides) are estrogen-like and anti-androgenic chemicals in the environment. They mimic natural hormones, inhibit the action of hormones, or alter the normal regulatory function of the endocrine system and have potential hazardous effects on male reproductive axis causing infertility. Although testicular and prostate cancers, abnormal sexual development, undescended testis, chronic inflammation, Sertoli-cell-only pattern, hypospadias, altered pituitary and thyroid gland functions are also observed, the available data are insufficient to deduce worldwide conclusions. The development of intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is beyond doubt the most important recent breakthrough in the treatment of male infertility, but it does not necessarily treat the cause and may inadvertently pass on adverse genetic consequences. Many well-controlled clinical studies and basic scientific discoveries in the physiology, biochemistry, and molecular and cellular biology of the male reproductive system have helped in the identification of greater numbers of men with male factor problems. Newer tools for the detection of Y-chromosome deletions have further strengthened the hypothesis that the decline in male reproductive health and fertility may be related to the presence of certain toxic chemicals in the environment. Thus the etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of male factor infertility remain a real challenge. Clinicians should always attempt to identify the etiology of a possible testicular toxicity, assess the degree of risk to the patient being evaluated for infertility, and initiate a plan to control and prevent exposure to others once an association between occupation/toxicant and infertility has been established.
Endocrine Disruptors ; pharmacology ; toxicity ; Environmental Pollutants ; Estrogens ; pharmacology ; toxicity ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; chemically induced ; epidemiology ; Leydig Cells ; drug effects ; Male ; Reproduction ; drug effects ; Sertoli Cells ; drug effects ; Spermatogenesis ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of endocrine disruptor chemicals in cow milk on female reproductive system.

METHODSA two-generation reproduction was conducted according to U. S. FDA standard. Milk was fed in special bottle to Wistar rats of both sexes through two successive generations (F0 and F1) in the milk group while artificial milk was fed to rats in the control group. Twenty-four rats of each sex were mated in each group. Measurements were made according to this guideline.

RESULTSReproductive parameters in the milk group such as fertility index, gestation index, weights of uterus and ovary, days of vaginal opening, estrous cycles, histological morphological changes were comparable to those in the control group. However, the means of body weight had some differences. The body weight gains increased significantly in the milk-treated group in F1 and F2 generation compared with those in the control group. The concentration of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in blood in the milk group was comparable to that in the control group, but the standard deviation changed greatly in the milk-treated rats.

CONCLUSIONEndocrine disruptor chemicals in milk have no severe effects on the female reproductive system.

Animals ; Body Weight ; drug effects ; Cattle ; Endocrine Disruptors ; pharmacology ; Female ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; metabolism ; Lactation ; Male ; Milk ; chemistry ; Ovary ; drug effects ; pathology ; Pregnancy ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reproduction ; drug effects ; Survival Analysis ; Uterus ; drug effects ; pathology

Phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase(PHGPx), an antioxidative selenoprotein, is modulated byestrogen in the testis and oviduct. To examine whetherpotential endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) affectthe microenvironment of the testes, the expression patternsof PHGPx mRNA and histological changes were analyzedin 5-week-old Sprague-Dawley male rats exposed to severalEDCs such as an androgenic compound [testosterone (50,200, and 1,000microg/kg)], anti-androgenic compounds [flutamide(1, 5, and 25mg/kg), ketoconazole (0.2 and 1mg/kg), anddiethylhexyl phthalate (10, 50, and 250mg/kg)], andestrogenic compounds [nonylphenol (10, 50, 100, and 250mg/kg), octylphenol (10, 50, and 250mg/kg), and diethyl-stilbestrol (10, 20, and 40microg/kg)] daily for 3 weeks via oraladministration. Mild proliferation of germ cells andhyperplasia of interstitial cells were observed in the testesof the flutamide-treated group and deletion of thegerminal epithelium and sloughing of germ cells wereobserved in testes of the diethylstilbestrol-treated group.Treatment with testosterone was shown to slightly decreasePHGPx mRNA levels in testes by the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. However, anti-androgeniccompounds (flutamide, ketoconazole, and diethylhexylphthalate) and estrogenic compounds (nonylphenol,octylphenol, and diethylstilbestrol) significantly up-regulated PHGPx mRNA in the testes (p<0.05). Thesefindings indicate that the EDCs might have a detrimentaleffect on spermatogenesis via abnormal enhancement ofPHGPx expression in testes and that PHGPx is useful as abiomarker for toxicity screening of estrogenic or anti-androgenic EDCs in testes.
Androgen Antagonists/pharmacology ; Animals ; Diethylhexyl Phthalate/pharmacology ; Diethylstilbestrol/pharmacology ; Endocrine Disruptors/*pharmacology ; Estrogens, Non-Steroidal/pharmacology ; Flutamide/pharmacology ; Glutathione Peroxidase/*biosynthesis/genetics ; Histocytochemistry ; Ketoconazole/pharmacology ; Male ; Phenols/pharmacology ; RNA, Messenger/*biosynthesis/genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Spermatogenesis/drug effects ; Testis/*drug effects/*enzymology ; Testosterone/pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the influence of an extract of Genista tinctoria L. herba (GT) or methylparaben (MP) on histopathological changes and 2 biomarkers of oxidative stress in rats subchronicly exposed to bisphenol A (BPA).

METHODSAdult female Wistar rats were orally exposed for 90 d to BPA (50 mg/kg), BPA+GT (35 mg isoflavones/kg) or BPA+MP (250 mg/kg). Plasma and tissue samples were taken from liver, kidney, thyroid, uterus, ovary, and mammary gland after 30, 60, and 90 d of exposure respectively. Lipid peroxidation and in vivo hydroxyl radical production were evaluated by histological analysis along with malondialdehyde and 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid detection.

RESULTSThe severity of histopathological changes in liver and kidneys was lower after GT treatment than after BPA or BPA+MP treatment. A minimal thyroid receptor antagonist effect was only observed after BPA+MP treatment. The abnormal folliculogenesis increased in a time-dependent manner, and the number of corpus luteum decreased. No significant histological alterations were found in the uterus. The mammary gland displayed specific estrogen stimulation changes at all periods. Both MP and GT revealed antioxidant properties reducing lipid peroxidation and BPA-induced hydroxyl radical generation.

CONCLUSIONGT L. extract ameliorates the toxic effects of BPA and is proved to have antioxidant potential and antitoxic effect. MP has antioxidant properties, but has either no effect or exacerbates the BPA-induced histopathological changes.

Animals ; Benzhydryl Compounds ; toxicity ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury ; pathology ; prevention & control ; Endocrine Disruptors ; toxicity ; Female ; Genista ; Hydroxyl Radical ; blood ; Lipid Peroxidation ; drug effects ; Liver ; pathology ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Parabens ; toxicity ; Phenols ; toxicity ; Phytotherapy ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar