The Effect of Herbal Medicine on Nerve Growth Factor in Estradiol Valerate-induced Polycystic Ovaries in Rats

Abstract

A type of polycystic ovary resembling some aspects of human polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) can be induced in the rat with a single injection of long-acting estradiol valerate. Among several theories behind the development of polycystic ovaries (PCO), the involvement of the sympathetic nervous system draws much attention, and herbal medicine is known to relieve the abnormal symptoms of PCO. Two herbal formulas, Changbudodam-Tang (cang fu dao tan tang) and Yongdamsagan-Tang (long dan xie gan tang), were used in the present study. The administration of herbal medicine was done every other day for 60 days. The morphological changes of ovaries from herbal medicine treatment were compared to those from an oil-treated control group and an estradiol valerate-injected group. This study also examined the possible hypothesis of neurogenic participation in terms of nerve growth factor (NGF) in the pathology of ovarian dysfunction. The nerve growth factor was analyzed in the central nervous system and ovaries by immunohistochemistry. The main findings of the present study were: (1) PCO were fully developed in rats with a single intramuscular injection of estradiol valerate, (2) PCO resulted in the expression of NGF in the ovaries and the brain tissues, and (3) herbal medicine administration significantly decreased the elevated NGF staining in the ovaries without affecting the brain tissues significantly.

Effect of Korean red ginseng extract in a steroid-induced polycystic ovary murine model

“…markers of ovarian NGF mRNA and NGF protein. This suggests that hyperactivation of the ovarian sympathetic input caused by EV is related to an overproduction of NGF, which agrees with our previous results of immunohistochemical expression of NGF in the same rat PCO model (Lee et al, 2003;Bai et al, 2004;Pak et al, 2005). In addition, the ovarian morphology confirms the validity of the present rat PCO model with the presence of multiple, medium-sized, non-atretic and antral follicles in the ovary.…”

“…A need for alternative methods that allow the substitution or reduction of drug intervention is clear. Medicinal herbs and Korean red ginseng total saponins partially reversed the abundance of NGF in the EV-treated rat ovaries (Lee et al, 2003;Pak et al, 2005). Electro-acupuncture (EA) is one of effective alternatives since it is known to influence the sympathetic nervous system (Andersson, 1993).…”

Histologic comparison of polycystic ovary syndrome induced by estradiol valerate and letrozole

“…그러나 최근 LE를 이용하여 21일 후 PCOS를 성공적으로 유발할 수 있다는 보고가 있다 [12]. EV는 1회 근육주사 후 60일째 [5,6,11], LE 는 21일간 경구투여 후 [12] (Table 1). …”

Oriental Medicine Kyung-Ok-Ko Prevents and Alleviates Dehydroepiandrosterone-Induced Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome in Rats

“…Yet, their effectiveness has not been clearly elaborated. Various resent studies have sought to develop anti-PCOS drugs from natural products and traditional prescriptions [18], [19]. But, whether KOK has protective or ameliorative effects against PCOS is unknown.…”