title: Ameliorating effect ofErxiandecoction combined with FructusSchisandrae chinensis (Wu Wei Zi) on menopausal sweating and serum hormone profiles in a rat model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  ModifiedErxian decoction(MEXD), i.e.,Erxiandecoction (EXD) with FructusSchisandrae chinensis(Wu Wei Zi) added, has been used to alleviate menopausal symptoms. This study aimed to investigate the effects of MEXD on menopausal sweating and serum hormone levels in a rat model of menopause after oral administration of MEXD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Quality control of MEXD was conducted by employing a reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography column. The three treatment groups received oral administration of MEXD in 0.5% sodium carboxylmethyl cellulose (CMC-Na) at three different doses (5.5, 11, and 22 g/kg body weight) once-daily for 6 consecutive weeks, with 10 animals per group.Huangqijingoral liquor (5 mL/kg) prepared from the roots ofHuang qi(Astragalus membranaceus) with an antiperspirant effect was used as a positive control. The negative control group received the same volume of vehicle (0.5% CMC-Na). Ten 3-month-old Sprague-Dawley rats were used as a young group for comparison with the treatment groups (12-14 months old rats). Blood was collected from all animals after 3-6 weeks of treatment. At the end of the treatment, the uterine weight, ovarian weight, and body weight were recorded. Serum malondialdehyde contents and superoxide dismutase activities were determined by thiobarbituric acid colorimetric assays and chemoluminescence assays, respectively. Serum levels of estradiol, follicle-stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone were measured by radioimmunoassays. Rat foot pad assays were used to determine the antiperspirant activity of MEXD and histological examinations were conducted on plantar sweat glands.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Treatment with MEXD (11 g/kg) significantly inhibited sweat excretion in the menopause model rats after treatment for 3 (P= 0.0026) and 6 (P< 0.0001) weeks. The decoction markedly decreased the number of secretory cells in plantar sweat glands. In addition, MEXD (11 g/kg) significantly increased the serum estradiol levels (P< 0.001) and superoxide dismutase activities (P= 0.0405). Furthermore, MEXD (11 g/kg) markedly decreased the serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (P= 0.001), luteinizing hormone (P= 0.0213), and malondialdehyde (P= 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ModifiedErxian decoctionsignificantly inhibited sweat excretion, regulated serum levels of pituitary gonadotropins and estradiol, and exhibited antioxidative effects in a rat model of menopause.
authors.affiliation: School of Chinese Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, 10 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR.
authors.forename: Shi Wei
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Fei Hua
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: School of Chinese Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, 10 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR.
authors.forename: Yan Bo
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: School of Chinese Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, 10 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: School of Chinese Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, 10 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: School of Chinese Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, 10 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR.
authors.forename: Hei Kei
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: School of Chinese Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, 10 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR ; Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Ai Hua
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: School of Chinese Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, 10 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR.
authors.forename: Ho Pan
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong SAR.
authors.forename: Tzi Bun
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.affiliation: School of Chinese Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, 10 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR.
authors.forename: Yao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.affiliation: School of Chinese Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, 10 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR.
authors.forename: Stephen Cho Wing
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Sze