Protective Effects of KH-204 in the Bladder of Androgen-Deprived Rats.
OBJECTIVE
We investigated the protective effects of the herbal formulation KH-204 in the bladder of androgen-deprived rats.


METHODS
Male rats aged eight weeks were randomly divided into four groups, containing eight rats each: sham operation only (normal control group), androgen-deprived only (androgen-deprived control group), and androgen-deprived followed by treatment with 200 mg/kg or 400 mg/kg of KH-204. After 0.5 mg/kg of leuprorelin was subcutaneously injected in the androgen-deprived groups, the oral administration of either distilled water in the two control groups or KH-204 in the treatment group was continued for four weeks. Serum testosterone levels, RhoGEF levels, nitric oxide (NO)-cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP)-related parameters, oxidative stress, and histologic changes were evaluated after treatment.


RESULTS
Treatment with the herbal formulation KH-204 (1) increased serum testosterone levels; (2) restored the expression of RhoGEFs, endothelial NO synthase, and neuronal NO synthase; (3) increased the expression of superoxide dismutase; and (4) decreased bladder fibrosis.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that the positive effects of KH-204 on the urinary bladder may be attributed to its antioxidant effects or to an elevation in NO-cGMP activity.
Catholic Integrative Medicine Research Institute, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Woong Jin
WJ
Bae
Department of Urology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
U Syn
US
Ha
Department of Urology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Jin Bong
JB
Choi
Department of Urology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Kang Sup
KS
Kim
Department of Urology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Su Jin
SJ
Kim
Department of Urology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Hyuk Jin
HJ
Cho
Department of Urology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Sung Hoo
SH
Hong
Department of Urology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Ji Youl
JY
Lee
Department of Urology, Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.
Zhiping
Z
Wang
Korea Bio Medical Science Institute, Seoul, Korea.
Sung Yeoun
SY
Hwang
Department of Urology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Sae Woong
SW
Kim
Antioxidants; Hypogonadism; Phytotherapy; Testosterone; Urinary bladder