[Study on phytoestrogenic-like effects of four kinds of Chinese medicine including Radix Rehmanniae Preparata, Radix Paeoniae Alba, Radix Angelicae Sinensis, Rhizoma Chuanxiong].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the phytoestrogenic-like effects of four kinds of Chinese medicine including Radix rehmanniae preparata, Radix Paeoniae Alba, Radix Angelicae Sinensis, Rhizoma Chuanxiong.


METHODS
Sixty immature female SD rats weighting (70 +/- 5) g were randomly divided into six groups: normal control group, positive control group and 4 Chinese medicine groups. The rats in different groups were treated for 4 days. On the fifth day, animals were sacrificed and uteri were separated solely and weighed. The blood was collected, and serum was separated. The effect of the pharmacological serum on proliferation assay with human breast cancer cell line (MCF7) by MTT method. Cell-cycle analyses were carried out with propidium iodide staining by flow cytometer. The expressions of subtypes-estrogen receptor-alpha (ERalpha) were detected by flow cytometry.


RESULTS
Radix Rehmanniae Preparata, Radix Paeoniae Alba and Radix Angelicae Sinensis could increase the immature rat's uterus wet weight and the ratio of uterus to body weight (P < 0.05). The pharmacological serum of the four kinds of Chinese medicine stimulated proliferation of MCF7 cell respectively compared with normal control group (P < 0.01). The cell cycle was impulsed from G1 to S, DNA synthesizing was inhanced, and PI was also increased. The pharmacological serum of Radix Angelicae Sinensis and Rhizoma Chuanxiong could increase the expressions of (ERalpha) (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Radix Rehmanniae Preparata, Radix Paeoniae Alba and Radix Angelicae sinensis have phytoestrogenic effects. But the data werent consistent with in vitro and in vivo assay of Rhizoma Chuanxiong.
Hao
Qingxiu
Q
Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China. haoqingxiu@163.com
Wang
Jifeng
J
Niu
Jianzhao
J
Zhao
Piwen
P
Cui
Ye
Y
Sun
Liping
L
Xue
Xiaoou
X
D000818:Animals; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D048789:Phytoestrogens / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014599:Uterus / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D048789:Phytoestrogens