title: Evaluation of Estrogenic Activity of Extract from the Herbal MixtureCynanchum wilfordiiHemsley, Phlomis umbrosaTurczaninow, andAngelica gigasNakai.
abstract: Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) consists of highly effective prescription medications for treating menopausal symptoms; however, these agents have exhibited side effects including the risk of estrogen-induced carcinogenesis. Therefore, interest in phytotherapy-based materials as a natural source of alternatives to estrogen therapy has increased. However, some of these herbal medicines have been reported to increase the risk of estrogen-induced cancer. Herbal formulations composed of a combination ofCynanchum wilfordiiHemsley (CW),Phlomis umbrosaTurczaninow (PU), andAngelica gigasNakai (AG) extracts (CPAE) have been used for treating menopausal symptoms. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to examine the safety of CPAE by determining its potential adverse estrogenic activity using the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) test guideline 455 (TG455) in a stably transfected transcriptionally activated human estrogen receptor α (hERα)-HeLa9903 cell model. We found that CPAE did not how any estrogenic activity or stimulate promoters containing estrogen response elements in MCF-7 cells. In addition, CPAE showed no significant selective activity against hERα and hERβ, non-selective activity against the ER, or effects on ER target gene expression. Furthermore, CPAE did not significantly induce MCF-7 cell proliferation and uterine weight increase in ovariectomized rats. These results demonstrate that CPAE can be used as beneficial herbal drug for prevention and therapeutic intervention of estrogen carcinogenesis in menopausal women.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Se Jong
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Sun Woo
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Gi-Ho
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Yong An
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Hye Gwang
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Jeong
keywords: Angelica gigas Nakai; Cynanchum wilfordii Hemsley; Estrogen receptor; Estrogenic activity; Phlomis umbrosa Turczaninow