OBJECTIVE

2

To study the improvement effect and mechanism of Gubenanshen decoction on menopausal syndrome model rats.

METHODS

2

Totally 70 rats were anesthetized and placed on the operating table for bilateral ovariectomy to induce menopausal syndrome model. Other 10 rats without modeling were taken as sham operation group. Sixty model rats were divided into model group， Gengniananpian group （TCM positive control group， 0.56 g/kg）， Estradiol valerate tablet group （chemical drug positive control group，0.1 mg/kg）， Gubenanshen decoction high-dose， medium-dose and low-dose groups （18.0，9.0，4.5 g/kg）， with 10 rats in each group. Model group and sham operation group were given normal saline intragastrically； administration groups were given relevant medicine intragastrically， once a day， for consecutive 4 weeks. After last administration， the plasma contents of luteinizing hormone （LH）， follicle stimulating growth hormone （FSH） and estradiol （E

2

） were determined.The indexes of uterus， adrenal gland， spleen and thymus were measured； pathological changes of rat uterus were observed； mRNA expressions of kisspenptin 1 （Kiss-1）， inositol triphosphate receptor 1 （IP

3

R1） and gonadotropin-releasing hormone （GnRH） in hypothalamic tissues were detected， and the protein expressions of Kiss-1， ERK1/2 and p-ERK1/2 were also detected.

RESULTS

2

Compared with sham operation group， the contents of LH and FSH in the plasma of rats were significantly increased in model group （

P

＜0.05 or

P

＜0.01）. The contents of E

2

， organ index， mRNA expressions of Kiss-1， IP

3

R1 and GnRH and protein expressions of Kiss-1 and p-ERK1/2 were decreased significantly in hypothalamic tissues （

P

＜0.05 or

P

＜0.01）. The glands of the uterus were reduced and the cells in the lamina propria were dense. Compared with model group， above indexes of Gubenanshen decoction groups （except for the content of E

2

in the low-dose group） were reversed significantly （

P

＜0.05 or

P

＜0.01）. The number of uterine gl

ands increased， and single columnar epithelial cells were arranged orderly （except for the low-dose group）.

CONCLUSIONS

2

Gubenanshen decoction can increase mRNA expressions of Kiss-1，IP

3

R and GnRH and protein expressions of Kiss-1 and p-ERK1/2 in hypothalamic tissues of rats， and activate GnRH secretion signaling pathways so as to improve the menopausal syndrome.