A novel mechanism: Erxian Decoction, a Chinese medicine formula, for relieving menopausal syndrome

• Published in: Journal of ethnopharmacology Vol. 123; no. 1; pp. 27 - 33
• Main Authors: Sze, S.C.W., Tong, Y., Zhang, Y.B., Zhang, Z.J., Lau, A.S.L., Wong, H.K., Tsang, K.W., Ng, T.B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 04.05.2009; Amsterdam; New York: Elsevier; Elsevier
• Subjects: Aging; animal models; Animals; Antioxidant; antioxidant activity; aromatase; Aromatase - genetics; Base Sequence; biochemical pathways; Biological and medical sciences; blood chemistry; catalase; Catalase - genetics; Catalase - metabolism; Chinese medicine; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; DNA Primers; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - pharmacology; Endocrine function; Erxian Decoction; estradiol; Estradiol - blood; Female; General pharmacology; glutathione peroxidase; Glutathione Peroxidase - genetics; Glutathione Peroxidase - metabolism; herbal medicines; liver; Liver - enzymology; mechanism of action; Medical sciences; medicinal plants; Menopause; messenger RNA; ovaries; Pharmacognosy. Homeopathy. Health food; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; RNA, Messenger - blood; Sexual Maturation - drug effects; signs and symptoms (animals and humans); superoxide dismutase; Superoxide Dismutase - genetics; Superoxide Dismutase - metabolism; women; UV; SDS; HPLC-DAD; RNA; Menopause; Erxian Decoction; SOD; mRNA; Antioxidant; EXD; Chinese medicine; AAS; SD-rats; RT-PCR; CAT; C t; Endocrine function; FSH; GPx-1; HPLC; PCR; Folk medicine; Pharmacognosy; Plant origin; Decoction; Mechanism of action; Medicinal plant
• ISSN: 0378-8741; 1872-7573
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2009.02.034

Many clinical and experimental reports demonstrated that Erxian Decoction (EXD) was effective in relieving menopausal syndrome. The mechanisms of action of EXD were explored on the endocrine and antioxidant regimen. Menopause causes a decline in both endocrine function and activities of antioxidant enzymes. In this study, 12-month-old female Sprague–Dawley-rats (SD-rats) with a low serum estradiol level were employed. Their endocrine functions after treatment with EXD were assessed by the determination of their serum estradiol level and ovarian mRNA levels of aromatase, which is a key enzyme for biosynthesis of estradiol. Meanwhile, superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx-1) in the liver were also determined to assess the effect of EXD on the antioxidant regimen. Results revealed a significant elevation in serum estradiol level and the mRNA level of ovarian aromatase and liver CAT in the EXD-treated menopausal rat model. The results obtained from mRNA and estradiol level of the present investigation revealed that the EXD relieves the menopausal syndrome involved an increase of endocrine and antioxidant function through, at least, the activation of aromatase and CAT detoxifying pathways.