Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Effect of Bushen yixue decoction on follicular development in experimental androgen-sterilized anovulatory rats and its possible mechanism of action

Hai-Ning Liu^1-5, Xiu-Ming Tang⁶, Hai-Jun Qu⁷, Xiao-Jing Guo⁶, Zi-Jiang Chen^1,3-5,8,9

¹Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan 250021; ²Center for Reproductive Medicine, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao 266011; ³National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics; ⁴The Key laboratory for Reproductive Endocrinology of Ministry of Education; ⁵Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Jinan 250021; ⁶Department of Reproductive Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University; ⁷Department of Pharmacy, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266003; ⁸Center for Reproductive Medicine, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University; ⁹Shanghai Key Laboratory for Assisted Reproduction and Reproductive Genetics, Shanghai 200127, PR China.

For correspondence:- Zi-Jiang Chen Email: chenzjhp@126.com Tel:+8653185651190

Accepted: 16 March 2018 Published: 30 April 2018

Citation: Liu H, Tang X, Qu H, Guo X, Chen Z. Effect of Bushen yixue decoction on follicular development in experimental androgen-sterilized anovulatory rats and its possible mechanism of action. Trop J Pharm Res 2018; 17(4):653-659 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v17i4.13

© 2018 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To explore the activities of Bushen yixue decoction (BSY) against follicular development in anovulatory rats.

Methods: Rats were divided into normal, normal control, clomifene citrate (positive control, orally, 5 mg/kg), and BSY (orally, 50, 100, 200 mg/kg) groups. Anovulatory rats were prepared by testosterone propionate injection (1.5 mg/rat). After 70 days, daily vaginal smears were performed for 10 days until no obvious sexual cycle was observed, indicating that androgen-sterilized anovulatory rats were successfully established. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to analyse BSY chemical composition. Levels of follicular stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), oestradiol (E2), progesterone (P), prolactin (PRL), inhibin (INH), activin (ACT) and follistatin (FS) were determined by radioimmunoassay or enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Western blotting was used to determine Bcl-2, cleaved-caspase-3, Bax, MMP-9 and VEGF in ovarian tissues.

Results: BSY increased (p < 0.05) the levels of FSH, LH, E2 (p < 0.05) and ACT, but decreased (p < 0.05) the levels of PRL, INH and FS, relative to control rats. expressions of VEGF (p < 0.01), MMP-9 (p < 0.05) and Bcl-2 (p < 0.01) were up-regulated by BSY, whereas Bax (p < 0.01) and C-caspase-3 (p < 0.01) were down-regulated.

Conclusion: BSY promotes follicular development of anovulatory rats via regulating INH-ACT-FS hormones, VEGF, MMP-9, Caspase-3, Bax, and Bcl-2. Thus, BSY may have the potential to be developed for clinical management of infertility.

Keywords: Bushen yixue decoction, Follicular development, Inhibin-Activin-Follistatin (INH-ACT-FS) system, Androgen-sterilized anovulatory rats