title: [Estrogen-like effects of puerarin and total isoflavones from Pueraria lobata].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the estrogen-like effects of puerarin and total isoflavones from Pueraria lobata (TIP) in vivo.
  
  
  METHODS
  Puerarin and TIP were orally administrated to ovariectomized rats, infancy or adult mice and estrogen-treated mice at the doses of 150, 300 and 600 mg/kg for 5-9 days. The estrogen-like effects were measured by viginacytology and uterus or ovary weights.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Puerarin and TIP significantly promoted uterus growth in ovariectomized rats and infancy mice, increased the ratios of keratocytes in vaginal smear in ovariectomized rats. The sexual cycle was partially recovered in dose-dependent manner. In E2-treated mice, puerarin and TIP obviously inhibited the growth of vigina induced by E2. No obvious effect was observed in normal adult mice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results showed that puerarin and TIP acted as weak estrogen-like effect on estrogen-deficiency animals, while no effect on normal-estrogen level ones, but as antiestrogen-like effect in high-estrogen-level ones. These results suggested that puerarin and TIP possessed property of partial agonist of estrogen receptor.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Metaria Medica, Zhejiang Academy of Medical Sciences, Hangzhou 210013.
authors.forename: Gaoli
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Xinyue
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jingwei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Qianchao
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: Dongsheng
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zheng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004967:Estrogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007529:Isoflavones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D029908:Pueraria / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats; D014599:Uterus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D004967:Estrogens; D007529:Isoflavones; C033607:puerarin