title: [Effects of osthol on androgen level and nitric oxide synthase activity in castrate rats].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of osthol on androgen level and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity in castrate rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Immature castrate male rats were treated with osthol daily for 20 d. The levels of testosterone(T), luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) in serum and the activity of NOS, the nitric monoxide (NO) level in penis tissue were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  T( P < 0.05), LH( P < 0.05) and FSH( P < 0.01) were significantly increased at the high dose of osthol treatment. The high and low dose of osthol treatment significantly enhanced the activity of NOS (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Osthol could increase androgen, gonadotropin and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity. It suggested that osthol had androgen-like effect and gonadotropin-like effect.
authors.affiliation: Guangxi College of TCM, Nanning 530001.
authors.forename: Juanli
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Jinxian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Aiyuan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000728:Androgens / Q000097:blood*; D000818:Animals; D031048:Cnidium / Q000737:chemistry; D003374:Coumarins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006062:Gonadotropins / Q000097:blood; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000378:metabolism*; D009919:Orchiectomy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D003374:Coumarins; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D006062:Gonadotropins; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D013739:Testosterone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; C046627:osthol