[The effects of eucommia ulmoides oliv on catching action of diabetic rats and myelinated nerve fibers in penile tissues].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the pharmacodynamic and pathological mechanism of eucommia ulmoides oliv in improving erectile function.


METHODS
Thirty male diabetic rats were randomly divided into three groups: group A (n = 10, escipient group), group B (n = 10, sildenafil group), group C (n = 10, eucommia ulmoides oliv group) and group D (n = 10, the normal control group). After gavage for four weeks, the catching behaviors of all rats were observed, and ultrastructure of myelinated nerve fibers in penile tissue was examined by transmission electron microscope. The expression of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) in penile tissues was examined by two steps immunohistochemistry method.


RESULTS
Compared with group A, catching frequency of the rats in group C was notably increased (P < 0.05) and the expression of nNOS in penile tissue was significantly (P < 0.001). The examination by transmission electron microscope showed that in the rats' penile tissue of group A, myelinated nerve fibers were irregularly arranged and partially degenerated, and myelin sheaths lamella were splited and exhibited vacuoles or network forms. In group C, there were regular arrangements of myelinated nerve fibers, in which the formation of lamella was clear.


CONCLUSIONS
By remitting the impairement of myelinated nerve fibers and enhancing the expression of nNOS in penile tissue, eucommia ulmoides oliv can improve erectile function of diabetic rats.
Zhang
Wan-Hong
WH
Wuhan Institute of Dermatology and Venereology, Wuhan, Hubei 430031, China.
Li
Gang
G
Dong
Han-Sheng
HS
Liu
Zi-Long
ZL
Xiong
Cheng-Liang
CL
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D031283:Eucommiaceae; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000648:ultrastructure; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000378:metabolism*; D010413:Penis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000294:innervation; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase