title: Danshen enhanced the estrogenic effects of Qing E formula in ovariectomized rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Menopause is characterized by a decrease in life quality due to the appearance of uncomfortable symptoms. Nowadays, Understanding menopause-associated pathophysiology and developing new strategies to improve the treatment of menopausal-associated symptoms is an important issue. Our study was to evaluate the synergistic effects of Danshen (salvia miltiorrhiza bunge) and the phytoestrogenic effects of 3 modified Qing E formulas, to explore a better formula for menopausal disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  100 rats were randomized into 5 groups: Sham (Sham operation group), OVX (model group of ovariectomized rat), BDL (group with low concentration of Qing E Formula), BDH (group with high concentration of Qing E Formula) and BDD (group with high concentration of Qing E Formula Plus Danshen), receiving vehicle and extract of different modified Qing E formula respectively. The food intake, body weight, uterus weight, blood levels of triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC) and cholesterol fractions were assessed. The mammary glands and uterus were morphologically analyzed. The bone density of tibias were measured by peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT). Additionally, luciferase induction assays were performed in Hela cells with the mixtures derived from Qing E formula plus Danshen (BDD).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Qing E formula plus Danshen significantly increased the uterus wet weight, enhanced the thickness of uterine wall, endometrial epithelium and glandular epithelium, improved trabecular bone and total density evidently, reduced the levels of low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and TG, possessed notable estrogen receptor beta (ERβ) and estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) agonist activity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Qing E formula plus Danshen exerted more evident estrogen-like effects, thus it has a potential therapeutic use to treat menopausal disorders.
authors.affiliation: School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 300193, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jian-Mei
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 312 Anshan xi Road, Tianjin, 300193, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 312 Anshan xi Road, Tianjin, 300193, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Er-Wei
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 312 Anshan xi Road, Tianjin, 300193, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 312 Anshan xi Road, Tianjin, 300193, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Guan-Wei
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 312 Anshan xi Road, Tianjin, 300193, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yue-Fei
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 312 Anshan xi Road, Tianjin, 300193, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 312 Anshan xi Road, Tianjin, 300193, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Shang-Wei
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 312 Anshan xi Road, Tianjin, 300193, People's Republic of China. gaoxiumei@tjutcm.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xiu-Mei
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Gao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects*; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D004967:Estrogens / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D010052:Ovariectomy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D027561:Salvia miltiorrhiza / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D004967:Estrogens; D008055:Lipids; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen
keywords: Danshen; ERα; ERβ; Estrogenic effects; Menopause; Qing E formulaplus Danshen; Rats