[Effects of Caulis Sargentodoxae Granule on expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor and its receptor-2 in rats with endometriosis].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of Caulis Sargentodoxae Granule (CSG), a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine for treating endometriosis, on expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptor-2 fetal liver kinase-1 (Flk-1) in rats with endometriosis.


METHODS
A rat model of endometriosis was established by autotransplant of endometria. Forty-eight endometriosis rats were randomly divided into 6 groups: untreated group, castrate group, mifepristone group (5 mg/kg) and low- (20 g/kg), medium- (40 g/kg) and high-dose (80 g/kg) CSG group. After 21-day consecutive treatment, the expressions of VEGF and its receptor Flk-1 in ectopic endometria were detected by immunohistochemical method, and the volume of the ectopic endometria was also measured by using electronic digital calipers.


RESULTS
Compared with the untreated group, the endometrial volumes in the treated groups were significantly decreased (P<0.05) except for the low-dose CSG group. Histopathologic observation showed that the epithelial layer of ectopic endometrium was less and the thickness of epithelial layer was thinner than those in the untreated group (P<0.01), but the low-dose CSG group had few changes. The VEGF and its receptor Flk-1 expressed abundantly in the cytoplasm of the glandular epithelium and vascular endothelial cell in all the groups. Compared with the untreated group, the expressions of VEGF and Flk-1 of ectopic endometrium in the CSG-treated groups, the mifepristone group and the castrate group were significantly decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
CSG can treat the endometriosis in rats, and its action may be associated with decreasing the expressions of VEGF and its receptor Flk-1 in ectopic endometrium.
Department of Gynecology, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200021, China.
Yang
Y
Cao
Ting-Ting
TT
Zhang
Shu-Wu
SW
Xie
Yan
Y
Zhu
Lan-di
LD
Shu
Zhi-Li
ZL
Song
Lin
L
Cao
De-Ying
DY
Dai
D000818:Animals; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004717:Endometrium / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / Q000378:metabolism*
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2