In vitro estrogenic activities of Chinese medicinal plants traditionally used for the management of menopausal symptoms

• Published in: Journal of ethnopharmacology Vol. 98; no. 3; pp. 295 - 300
• Main Authors: Zhang, C.Z., Wang, S.X., Zhang, Y., Chen, J.P., Liang, X.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 26.04.2005; Elsevier
• Subjects: beta-Galactosidase - metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; Chinese medicine; Chinese traditional medicine; estrogenic properties; Female; General pharmacology; Hormone replacement therapy; Humans; Medical sciences; medicinal plants; Medicine, Chinese Traditional; menopause; Menopause - drug effects; Oriental traditional medicine; Pharmacognosy. Homeopathy. Health food; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Phytoestrogens; Phytoestrogens - isolation & purification; Phytoestrogens - pharmacology; plant extracts; Plants, Medicinal; Receptors, Estrogen - drug effects; Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Saccharomyces cerevisiae - drug effects; Saccharomyces cerevisiae - metabolism; symptoms; Asia; China; Phytoestrogens; DMSO; oNPG; HRT; ER; RIE; Chinese medicine; hER; E 2; EC 50; OD 600; ERE; Hormone replacement therapy; lacZEscherichia; OD 420; Saccharomyces cerevisiae; RP; Pharmacognosy; In vitro; Biological activity; Medicinal plant; Fungi; Phytoestrogen; Folk medicine; Plant origin; Ascomycetes; Thallophyta
• ISSN: 0378-8741; 1872-7573
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2005.01.033

The estrogenic activity of 70% EtOH extracts of 32 traditional Chinese medicinal plants, selected according to their reported efficacy for the treatment of menopausal symptoms, was assessed using a recombinant yeast system with both a human estrogen receptor expression plasmid and a reporter plasmid. Among them, 11 (34%) species proved to be active. Polygonum cuspidatum had the highest estrogenic relative potency (RP) (3.28 × 10 −3), followed by Rheum palmatum (3.85 × 10 −4), Cassia obtusifolia (3.49 × 10 −4), Polygonum multiflorum (2.87 × 10 −4), Epimedium brevicornum (2.30 × 10 −4), Psoralea corylifolia (1.90 × 10 −4), Cynomorium songaricum (1.78 × 10 −4), Belamcanda chinensis (1.26 × 10 −4), Scutellaria baicalensis (8.77 × 10 −5), Astragalus membranaceus (8.47 × 10 −5) and Pueraria lobata (6.17 × 10 −5). The EC 50 value of 17β-estradiol used as the positive control was 0.205 ± 0.025 ng/ml (RP = 100). This study gave support to the reported efficacy of Chinese medicines used for hormone replacement therapy.