Therapeutic mechanisms of Tongmai Dasheng Tablet on tripterygium glycosides induced rat model for premature ovarian failure

Ethnopharmacological relevance: To assess the therapeutic effect of Tongmai Dasheng Tablet (TMDST) on tripterygium glycosides (TG) induced premature ovarian failure (POF) rat model and investigate the underlying mechanisms, based on the establishing method of POF model we developed in our previous work. Materials and methods: Rats were intragastrically administered with TG to induce POF, then were randomized into model group, premarin group and TMDST group, and were administered intragastrically with physiological saline, premarin and TMDST respectively. The estrous cycle was examined by vaginal exfoliative cystoscopy. Serum estradiol (E-2) and progesterone (P) were measured by gamma-radioimmunoassay, serum inhibin B (INHB) was measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the expression of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), endostatin, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), fetal liver kinase-1 (Flk-1), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), type 1 tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNF-RI) and Caspase-3 in ovaries of rats was examined by immunohistochemistry method. Results: TG induced POF rats restored normal estrous cycle after being treated with TMDST and presented near or above normal ovarian index, serum E-2 and INHB level in comparison with those of normal controls. Significantly higher expression of ER, VEGF and VEGFR-2, significantly lower intracellular TNF-a and Caspase-3, thinner vascular wall and larger vascular lumen were also found in the ovaries of these TMDST treated POF rats than those of model group. Conclusions: TMDST is effective in treating TG induced POF rats, and pro-angiogenesis and anti-apoptosis are the two possible mechanisms accounting for the therapeutic effect. (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.