Clinical observation on the endocrinal and immune functions in subjects with yin-deficiency constitution.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the relationship between yin-deficiency constitution (YDC) and biochemical indexes by way of observing the endocrinal and immune functions in subjects with YDC.


METHODS
On the basis of epidemiological investigation, 60 subjects with YDC and 50 with gentle constitution (GC) were selected according to the pertinent criteria. From each subject, 8 mL of fasting venous blood was drawn at 8:00-9:00 in the morning, with the serum separated by centrifugation 3 000 r/min for 5 min and preserved at -70 degrees Celsius in a freezer. Serum levels of corticosterone, cortisol, adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH), cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4), throtropic stimulation hormone, interleukin 1beta (IL-1beta) and interleukin 2 (IL-2) were detected by double-antibody sandwich ELISA; cAMP/cGMP ratio was calculated, and the difference between the two constitutions in terms of these indexes was analyzed.


RESULTS
Serum FT3 was 4.16 + or - 1.38 pmol/L in subjects with YDC, which was higher than that in subjects with GC (3.71 + or - 0.55 pmol/L), but levels of cortisol (124.58 + or - 45.36 ng/mL), ACTH (58.92 + or - 14.55 pg/mL), cGMP (66.00 + or - 18.02 pmol/mL) and FT4 (12.33 + or - 3.12 pmol/L) in YDC were lower than those in GC (13.43 + or - 2.31 pmol/L), showing significant difference (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
YDC is related to some extent with the disturbances in the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis, hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid axis, cyclic nucleoside system and immune function.
Medical Research Center of Constitution and Reproductive, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China. wangqi710@126.com
Qi
Q
Wang
Xiao-juan
XJ
Ren
Shi-lin
SL
Yao
Hong-dong
HD
Wu
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D004703:Endocrine System / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000503:physiopathology; D007107:Immune System / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D009705:Nucleosides / Q000097:blood; D019370:Observation; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000503:physiopathology; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000503:physiopathology; D016710:Yin Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult
D015415:Biomarkers; D009705:Nucleosides