title: [Experimental study of estrogenic activities of five kinds of Chinese herbal medicines].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the estrogenic activity of several kinds of Chinese herbal medicines.
  
  
  METHODS
  Use zoopery and reporter gene technique to study the estrogenic activity of five Chinese herbal medicines. Zoopery: weanling female Kunming mice weight 9-12 g were administrated botanical extracts of Selaginella tamariscina, Pinus Massoniana, Corallodiscus flabellate, Dryopteris sublaeta and Leonurus heterophyllus, the positive control group with Nilestriol tablets and control group with water, respectiely. On the eighth day, the animals were sacrificed and the uteri were separated solely and weighed. Reporter gene technique: Induce the expression of reporter gene controlled by ERE and measure the activity of luciferase on cell's clear supernatant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The botanical extracts of S. tamariscina can increase weights of mice (P < 0.01); In the expression of reporter gene controlled by ERE, Either ERalpha or ERbeta's has estrogenic activity (P < 0.01). Follow in the zoopery we find the water part and the n-butanol part of S. tamariscina are the two active parts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  S. tamariscina and it's water part and n-butanol part have estrogenic activities, effect on ERbeta is greater than ERalpha.
authors.affiliation: Henan College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou. zhengxk@hactcm.edu.cn
authors.forename: Xiao-ke
authors.initials: XK
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Peng-fei
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.forename: Ling-qiao
authors.initials: LQ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wei-Sheng
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Ji-feng
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jian-zhao
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Niu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D031332:Leonurus / Q000737:chemistry; D051379:Mice; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D048789:Phytoestrogens / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D028223:Pinus / Q000737:chemistry; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry; D032503:Selaginellaceae / Q000737:chemistry; D014599:Uterus / Q000033:anatomy & histology*
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta; D048789:Phytoestrogens