[Effect of compound recipe Gengniankang on senile sexual hormone and expression of estrogen receptor in bone of climacteric female rats].
OBJECTIVE
To compare the therapeutic effect of Compound Recipe Gengniankang ( GNK) with that of hormone replacement treatment (HRT) on climacteric female rats with osteoporosis, and to investigate the roles of estrogen and estrogen receptors in the mechanism of osteoporosis.


METHODS
Climacteric female rats with osteoporosis were chosen and divided into three groups (GNK group, HRT group and control group). Apoptosis of ovarian granulose cells was measured by terminal-deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay. Serum level of estradiol (E(2)), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) were determined by the method of radioimmunoassay (RIA). Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCT) technology was used to evaluate the expression of estrogen receptor (ER) in bone. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by double energy X-ray absorption (DEXA).


RESULTS
In the climacteric rats, BMD, serum E(2), ER mRNA expression in bone decreased remarkably, and serum FSH, LH and apoptosis of ovarian granulose cells increased obviously. After treating with GNK, all the indexes were reversed except serum E(2). The increase of E(2) was not significant.


CONCLUSIONS
GNK is effective on climacteric osteoporosis female rats. Its role is performed not by increasing serum E(2) but by enhancing ER in the bone and inhibiting apoptosis of ovarian granulose cells. GNK can deter further exhaustion of ovarian function.
Wu
Su-hui
SH
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Hospital, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, China. shwu1215@tom.com
Sun
Jing-fen
JF
Guo
Shu-zhen
SZ
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D002979:Climacteric; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D010053:Ovary / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000096:biosynthesis*
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D006728:Hormones; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D004958:Estradiol; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone