OBJECTIVETo explore the specific regulative law of electroacupuncture (EA) for the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad axis.

METHODSThe adult female SD rats were divided into a simulant EA group, Guanyuan (CV 4) group and Neiguan (PC 6) group according to 4 stages of the estrous cycle. Acupuncture was given from 9 : 30 AM to 10 : 00 AM and the brain tissue samples were collected at 15 : 00 PM. GnRH expressions in the nuclei related with genital neuroendocrine in the hypothalamus were investigated with immunohistochemical method.

RESULTS(1) The GnRH expression quantity was different in different estrous cycles in the simulant EA group, with more expression in the proestrus and the estruation; (2) After acupuncture, the GnRH expressions in the medial preoptic area, the arcuate nuclei and the nuclei periventriculares were increased in different stages of the estrous cycle in varying degrees, with the "strong" GnRH expression increased significantly in the diestrus and the metaoestrus in the Guanyuan (CV 4) group.

CONCLUSIONAfter EA, the expression of the GnRH-positive reactant in the medial preoptic area, the arcuate nuclei and the nuclei periventriculares of the hypothalamus significantly increases, with the Guanyuan (CV 4) group better than the Neiguan (PC 6) group, and more obvious expressions in the diestrus and the metaoestrus.

Animals ; Electroacupuncture ; Estrus ; metabolism ; Female ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone ; analysis ; Immunohistochemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Acoustic Stimulation ; Animals ; Corpus Striatum ; physiology ; Estrogens ; metabolism ; Estrus ; physiology ; Evoked Potentials, Auditory ; physiology ; Female ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

To examine the electrophysiological properties of luteal cells and the relationship between membrane potential and luteal steroidogenic capacity, the membrane potential of luteal cells and the luteal steroidogenesis were measured under different ionic conditions following treatment with various drugs and gonadotropins. The membrane potential of luteal cells did not vary throughout the estrous cycle and was -55 +/- 1 mV. The membrane potential was highly dependent upon the external K+ concentration and was depolarized by the deprivation of external Ca2+, however) there seemed to be a lower K+ permeability in luteal membranes as the presence of 10-9 M valinomycin, a K+ ionophore Caused hyperpolarization from -55 to -91 mV. Luteal progestin production was increased in a high K+ solution but not m a Ca2+-free solution indicating that Ca2+ may be essential for steroid synthesis and/or secretion by luteal cells. Gonadotropins and ouabain induced a depolarization of the membrane potential and stimulated luteal steroidogenesis; however; prostaglandin F2alpha stimulated only steroidogenesis without any changes in membrane potential. These results suggest that the relationship between steroidogenesis and the changes in membrane potential by drugs and gonadotropins is still obscure and remains to be eluridated. The relationship between membrane potential and steroidogenesis in the luteal cell may be dependent upon the availability of intracelluar Ca2+.
Animal ; Corpus Luteum/*metabolism ; Estrus/metabolism ; Female ; Ions ; Luteal Cells/*metabolism ; Membrane Potentials ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred Strains ; Steroids/*biosynthesis ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

OBJECTIVETo study the therapeutic effect of Dabuyin Wan on true precocious puberty of female rats and its possible mechanism.

METHODTwenty-two-day-old female SD rats were subcutaneously injected with 40 mg x kg(-1) N-methyl-DL-aspartic acid (NMA) at 14:00 and 16:00 every day; meanwhile, the rats were given Dabuyin Wan for intervention. Visual inspection was conducted for the time of vaginal opening. The first estrus was observed by yaginal smear test. Their ovaries and uterus were weighed to calculate organ coefficients. Conventional pathological slices were made to observe morphological changes in ovaries and uterus and calculate the thickness of uterine walls and the number of corpus luteums. The level of E2 in serum was detected to assess the therapeutic effect of Dabuyin Wan on NMA precocious puberty in rats. expressions of GnRH, GPR54 and Kiss-1 mRNA in hypothalamus were measured by semi-quantitative RT-PCR to investigate the possible mechanism of Dabuyin Wan.

RESULTDabuyin Wan at 3.24 g x kg(-1) and 1.62 g x kg(-1) significantly decreased the organ coefficients in rats with precocious puberty (P < 0.05), decrease the number of vaginal openings in rats (P < 0.01) and the thickness of uterine walls and the number of corpus luteums (P < 0.05), and notably down-regulated expressions of GnRH, GPR54 and Kiss-1 mRNA in hypothalamus (P < 0.05), without significant impact on E2 in serum.

CONCLUSIONDabuyin Wan may inhibit GnRH synthesis and release as well as startup of hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis by down-regulating Kiss-1/GPR54 mRNA expression in hypothalamus, in order to realize the therapeutic effect on true precocious puberty.

Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Estrus ; drug effects ; Female ; Gene Expression ; drug effects ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone ; genetics ; Hypothalamus ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Kisspeptins ; genetics ; Ovary ; drug effects ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled ; genetics ; Receptors, Kisspeptin-1 ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sexual Maturation ; drug effects ; genetics ; Time Factors ; Uterus ; drug effects ; Vagina ; drug effects

AIM: To evaluate the effect of Cocus nucifera L. flowers in reducing the major multiple symptoms of letrozole-induced polycystic ovarian disease (PCOD) in female rats. METHOD: Female, virgin Wistar rats were treated with letrozole (1 mg/kg body wt) to induce PCOD, and after 21 days of induction rats were administered orally with 100 and 200 mg·kg(-1) of Cocus nucifera flower aqueous extract, respectively. Estrus cycle and blood sugar were monitored once a week throughout the study. After scarification, various biochemical parameters, such as antioxidant status (superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione reductase (GSH)) of the uterus homogenate, lipid profile (total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein (HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL), and triglycerides (TG)) of the serum were determined. Weights of the uterus and ovaries were separately monitored. The characteristics of changes in the ovary were evaluated by histopathological studies. RESULTS: GC-MS analysis of the aqueous extract showed the presence of volatile and pharmacologically active phytoconstituents. C. nucifera flower extract-treated groups showed estrus cyclicity and increased uterus weight which indicates the estrogenic effect. The improved blood sugar level, ideal lipid profile, good antioxidant status, and histopathology results revealed the recovery from poly cystic ovaries. CONCLUSION The results indicate that C. nucifera flower is a potential medicine for the treatment of PCOD and this study supports the traditional uses of C. nucifera flower.
Animals ; Antioxidants ; metabolism ; Blood Glucose ; metabolism ; Cocos ; chemistry ; Estrus ; drug effects ; Female ; Flowers ; chemistry ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Letrozole ; Lipids ; blood ; Nitriles ; Oils, Volatile ; analysis ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Ovary ; drug effects ; pathology ; Phytoestrogens ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Phytotherapy ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome ; blood ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Rats, Wistar ; Triazoles ; Uterus ; drug effects