OBJECTIVETo probe the effect of Zuogui pill (ZGP), a Chinese compound recipe for tonifying Shen, on ovarian function in mice with premature ovarian failure (POF).

METHODSBALB/C female mice model of POF was established by multiple sites subcutaneous injection of ovarian antigen elicited with ovarian tissue of SD female rats, and treated with ZGP at different time points in the modeling, with prednisone as positive control. The levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and estradiol (E2) in peripheral blood were measured with radioimmunoassay, and ovarian antibody (AoAb) was determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The mRNA expression of ovarian growth and differentiation factor-9 was detected with in situ hybridization.

RESULTSPOF model mice manifested such abnormalities as increased FSH, decreased E2, and positive AoAb in peripheral blood, with lymphocytes infiltration in ovarian mesanchyma, reduction of GDF-9 mRNA positive oocytes, and decrease of growing and mature follicles. ZGP could reduce the increase of FSH, increase the level of E2, inhibit the production of AoAb, raise the GDF-9 mRNA positive cells of oocytes, increase the number of growing and mature follicles. The clinical efficacy was more significant in early stage than in advanced stage.

CONCLUSIONZGP can improve immune inflammatory injury of ovary, and shows therapeutic effect on POF.

Animals ; Autoimmune Diseases ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Ovarian Follicle ; pathology ; Ovary ; drug effects ; immunology ; physiopathology ; Phytotherapy ; Primary Ovarian Insufficiency ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Yin Deficiency ; drug therapy

The increased survival of patients with breast cancer has given rise to other problems associated with the complications of chemotherapy. One major complication is premature ovarian failure, an especially harmful outcome for women of reproductive age. This study was performed to evaluate the efficacy of GnRH agonist (GnRHa) treatment on protecting ovarian function in young breast cancer patients (30.59+/-5.1 yr) receiving chemotherapy after surgery. Twenty-two women were enrolled and given subcutaneous injections of leuprolide acetate (3.75 mg) every 4 weeks during chemotherapy. Follow-up laboratory tests (luteinizing hormone [LH], follicle stimulating hormone [FSH], and estradiol) were performed 1, 3, and 6 months after chemotherapy. Menstruation patterns and clinical symptoms were followed up for a mean duration of 35.6+/-1.7 months. FSH and LH levels were normal in all patients 6 months after completing chemotherapy (8.0+/-5.3, 4.4+/-2.7 mIU/mL, respectively). During follow-up, none of the patients complained of menopausal symptoms and 81.8% experienced recovery of menstruation. This report is the first trial of GnRHa as a treatment modality to protect ovarian function during adjuvant chemotherapy in young Korean breast cancer patients.
Adult ; Antineoplastic Agents/adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal/therapeutic use ; Breast Neoplasms/diagnosis/*drug therapy/surgery ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Cyclophosphamide/adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Doxorubicin/adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Female ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone/analysis ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone/*agonists ; Humans ; Leuprolide/administration & dosage ; Luteinizing Hormone/analysis ; Menstruation ; Ovarian Function Tests ; Primary Ovarian Insufficiency/etiology/*prevention & control ; Republic of Korea ; Tamoxifen/therapeutic use ; Time Factors