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Journal of Chinese Integrative Medicine ›› 2004, Vol. 2 ›› Issue (1): 53-57.doi: 10.3736/jcim20040120

• Original Experimental Research • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Effects of kidney-tonifying Chinese herbal medicine on hypothalamic-pituitary gonadotrophic function

Hao Shen1(), De-pei Cai1, Bo-ying Chen2   

  1. 1. Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine,Pediatric Hospital,Fudan University,Shanghai 200032,China
    2. Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine,Shanghai Medical College,Fudan University,Shanghai 200032,China
  • Online:2004-01-20 Published:2018-10-25

Objective: To observe the effects of kidney-tonifying Chinese herbal medicine on the synthesis and secretion of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) and the related neurotransmitters and neuropeptides, and to explore the mechanism of the regulative effect of Chinese herbal medicine on the hypothalamic-pituitary gonadotrophic function. Methods: Female Sprague-Dawley rats during the period of normal adolescent initiation (160-180 g, 1.5 monthes) were randomly divided into three groups. The control group was fed with normal saline and the two experimental groups were fed with Chinese herbal medicine for nourishing yin to reduce fire (Zi Yin Xie Huo, ZYXH) or nourishing kidney to replenish essence (Yi Shen Tian Jing, YSTJ) respectively. The dosage was 5 ml/d for 30 days by gastric gavage. Integrated optic densities of the GnRH and neuropeptide Y (NPY) in medial preoptic area (MPOA), arcuate nucleus (ARC) and median eminence (ME) of hypothalamus were determined by immunohistochemistry method and image processing. The content of GnRH in homogenate of hypothalamus preoptic area was determined by radioimmunoassay (RIA). The releasing amount of monoamine neurotransmitters from medial basal hypothalamus (MBH) was determined by brain slices incubation and high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). The releasing amount of GnRH and NPY from POA was determined by push-pull perfusion and RIA, and the releasing amount of monoamine neurotransmitters from this site was determined by HPLC.Results: ZYXH could inhibit the synthesis and secretion of GnRH from periodic and tonic secretory centers of GnRH, while YSTJ could stimulate the synthesis and secretion of GnRH from the both secretory centers of GnRH. ZYXH could inhibit the activity of GnRH neurons via diminishing the releasing of norepinephrine (NE) from tonic secretory center of GnRH, increasing the releasing of dopamine (DA) in periodic secretory center of GnRH and increasing the synthesis and releasing of NPY from the both secretory centers of GnRH, it hence inhibited the hypothalamic-pituitary gonadotrophic function. YSTJ could stimulate the activity of GnRH neurons via diminishing the synthesis and releasing of NPY from tonic secretory center of GnRH, it hence promoted the hypothalamic-pituitary gonadotrophic function.Conclusion: Chinese herbal medicine for tonifying the kidney could modulate hypothalamic-pituitary gonadotrophic function via regulating the synthesis and secretion of GnRH and the related neurotransmitters (NE, DA) and neuropeptides (NPY).

Key words: hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, gonadotropin-releasing hormone, norepinephrine, dopamine, neuropeptide Y, puberty, drugs, Chinese herbal

CLC Number: 

  • R335.1

Tab 1

Effects of Chinese herbal medicine for tonifyingkidney on GnRH in hypothalamus(immunohistochemical method) (ヌ±S)"

Group n Integrated optic density
MPOA ARC ME
ZYXH 5 0.19±0.04** 0.41±0.13** 0.49±0.11**
YSTJ 5 1.96±0.64* 1.98±0.36** 3.14±0.27**
Control 5 0.97±0.60 0.84±0.08 0.86±0.14

Tab 2

Effects of Chinese herbal medicine fortonifying kidney on GnRH in homogenate of hypothalamus preoptic area(RIA) (ヌ±S, pg/mg)"

Group n GnRH
ZYXH 8 30.77±8.57
YSTJ 7 152.28±113.04*
Control 6 42.77±13.39

Tab 3

Effects of ZYXH on secretion of GnRH in preoptic area(push-pull perfusion, RIA) (ヌ±S,ng/L)"

Time ZYXH(n=5) Control (n=5)
10 min 26.63±14.01* 53.94±19.58
30 min 46.57±16.81** 90.60±21.98
50 min 41.73±18.98* 86.03±23.71
70 min 41.60±15.58 68.89±24.17
90 min 52.58±23.51 65.14±21.13
110 min 38.42±20.37* 70.67±16.08

Tab 4

Effects of Chinese herbal medicine for tonifyingkidney on NPY in hypothalamus (immunohistochemical method) (ヌ±S)"

Group n Integrated optic density
MPOA ARC ME
ZYXH 5 0.45±0.16* 0.93±0.46* 0.97±0.51*
YSTJ 5 0.34±0.05 0.32±0.08* 0.43±0.22*
Control 5 0.26±0.09 0.57±0.31 0.63±0.10

Tab 5

Effects of ZYXH on secretion of NPY in preoptic area(push-pull perfusion, RIA) (ヌ±S,ng/L)"

Time ZYXH(n=5) Control (n=5)
10 min 180.80±129.68 106.23±87.13
30 min 98.80±83.80 62.44±23.54
50 min 553.69±479.96 94.44±44.74
70 min 530.13±307.26* 94.95±51.69
90 min 483.68±472.28 67.68±22.30
110 min 580.12±523.20 167.76±114.87

Figure 1

Relationship between GnRH and NPY"

Tab 6

Effects of ZYXH on secretion of NE and DA in preoptic area(push-pull perfusion, HPLC) (ヌ±S,μg/L)"

Group n NE DA
ZYXH 5 139.82±68.87 1.51±0.72*
Control 5 108.94±63.19 0.49±0.40

Tab 7

Effect of ZYXH on secretion of NE and DA inmedial basal hypothalamus(brain slices incubation, HPLC) (ヌ±S,μg/L)"

Group n NE DA
ZYXH 7 207.49±51.43* 0.78±0.44
Control 6 262.90±45.83 0.71±0.31
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