title: [Longchang granule upregulates the expression of bax in the prostatic hyperplastic tissues of rats].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the mechanism of Longchang Granule in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rat models of prostate hyperplasia were made by castration and testosterone propionate injection. After treated respectively with Longchang Granule and Longbishu by gastrogavage for 30 days, all the model rats were killed and their prostate glands harvested for the measurement of the wet weight and detection of the expression of bax in the prostatic hyperplastic tissues by RV 2-step method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The wet weight of the prostate was (0.61 +/- 0.03) g in the blank control group, (0.95 +/- 0.04) g in the model group, (0.73 +/- 0.02) g in the Longbishu group, (0.80 +/- 0.05) g in the low-dose Longchang group, (0.78 +/- 0.07) g in the medium-dose Longchang group and (0.68 +/- 0.03) g in the high-dose Longchang group, with significant differences between the model and the intervention groups (P < 0.05). The prostate indexes in the above groups were 0.143 +/- 0.006, 0.226 +/- 0.008, 0.172 +/- 0.004, 0.199 +/- 0.012, 0.181 +/- 0.010 and 0.168 +/- 0.003, respectively, and the expressions of bax by mean optical density were 0.226 +/- 0.010, 0.184 +/- 0.005, 0.206 +/- 0.015, 0.199 +/- 0.001, 0.202 +/- 0.003 and 0.211 +/- 0.003, respectively, both with significant differences between the model and the intervention groups (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Longchang Granule can effectively reduce the wet weight of the prostate and alleviate its pathological changes in BPH rats, the mechanism of which may be associated with its effect of upregulating the expression of bax and accelerating cell apoptosis in the prostate tissues.
authors.affiliation: Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150040, China. zyn0919@qq.com
authors.forename: Yong-Ning
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Li-Wen
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: An
authors.forename: Song-Tao
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Min-Dao
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Zhang