title: [Therapeutic efficacy of Bushengzhuyang Fang (Yangjing Capsule) on phytoestrogen-induced erectile dysfunction: an experimental study].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of Bushengzhuyang Fang (Yangjing Capsule, YJC) on penile erectile function and its action mechanisms in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-six male SD rats were randomly divided into seven groups of equal number: blank control, daidzein, daidzein + testosterone, daidzein + sildenafil, daidzein + low-dose YJC, daidzein + medium-dose YJC, and daidzein + high-dose YJC. The rats in the blank control group were treated intragastrically with normal saline and those in the other groups with daidzein at the dose of 100 mg per kg per day for 30 days. Then the last five groups received additionally testosterone (4 mg per kg per day), sildenafil (2.5 mg per kg per day), low-dose YJC, (0.315 mg per kg per day), medium-dose YJC (0.63 mg per kg per day), and high-dose YJC (1. 26 mg per kg per day), respectively. At 0, 30 and 60 days of treatment, we observed the apomorphine-induced spontaneous erectile response and pathological changes in the corpus cavernosum of the rats, recorded the number of penile erection and erectile incubation period, and determined the serum levels of testosterone (T) and luteinizing hormone (LH).
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 30 days of treatment, the number of apomorphine-induced erections was decreased, the erectile incubation period prolonged, and the serum levels of T and LH reduced remarkably in all groups of rats (P < 0.05). Compared with the findings at 30 days, the number of penile erections was significantly decreased at 60 days in the daidzein group (1.39 ± 0.42 vs 2.67 ± 0.33, P < 0.05) and daidzein + low-dose YJC group (1.33 ± 0.49 vs 2.83 ± 0.61, P < 0.05); the erectile incubation period was markedly ex- tended ([16.33 ± 3.11] vs [8.50 ± 0.93] min and [15.50 ± 3.21] vs [8.63 ± 1.54] min, P < 0.05); and the serum levels of T ([5.34 ± 0.89] vs [1.24 ± 0.30] ng/ml and [5.28 ± 1.12] vs [2.07 ± 0.76] ng/ml, P < 0.05) and LH ([3.62 ± 0.37] vs [2.09 ± 0.12] ng/ml and [3.79 ± 0.28] vs [2.17 ± 0.33] ng/ml, P < 0.05) were significantly reduced in the daidzein and daidzein + low-dose YJC groups, respectively. Pathological examination revealed slightly decreased cavernous sinuses and blood vessels in the corpus cavernosum of the rats in the daidzein + testosterone, daidzein + sildenafil, daidzein + medium-dose YJC, and daidzein + high-dose YJC groups as compared with those in the blank control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High-dose Yangjing Capsule is efficacious for the recovery of erectile function in rats, especially for phytoestrogen-induced erectile dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu, China. brickchow@126.com
authors.forename: Yu-Chun
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Tian-Fu
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zhi-Xing
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Bao-Fang
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Jin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001058:Apomorphine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007529:Isoflavones / Q000494:pharmacology; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D008297:Male; D010410:Penile Erection / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D010413:Penis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D048789:Phytoestrogens; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011687:Purines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013739:Testosterone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D007529:Isoflavones; D048789:Phytoestrogens; D010879:Piperazines; D011687:Purines; D013449:Sulfonamides; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D013739:Testosterone; C004742:daidzein; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate; D001058:Apomorphine