ABSTRACT
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short non-coding RNAs consisting of approximately 19－23 nucleotides and involved in many pathological and physiological processes by regulating post-transcriptional gene expressions. ED is one of the common male sexual dysfunctions seriously affecting the patient's quality of life, for which there is currently a lack of effective treatments clinically. More and more experiments have demonstrated that miRNAs are involved in the pathological process of different types of ED. This article presents an overview of the progress in the studies of the pathogenic role of miRNAs in ED.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Erectile Dysfunction/genetics , Gene Expression , MicroRNAs/genetics , Quality of LifeABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the antifertility and anti-inflammatory effects of compound Kucen gel in vivo.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>As antifertility experiment, we randomly divided 60 female SD rats into six groups of equal number: normal saline, blank gel, low-, medium- and high-dose compound Kucen gel (0.05, 0.10 and 0.15 g/g), and positive control (4% nonoxynol gel) to receive intravaginal administration of 200 microl of respective agent, followed by copulation with male rats in a 1:1 ratio. At 12 days after successful mating, the female rats were dissected for calculation of the embryos and the rate of contraception. As an anti-inflammatory trial, we established a mouse model of inflammation by applying xylene to the pinna, and equally randomized 60 Kunming mice to six groups as in the former experiment. We determined the degrees and average rates of swelling inhibition in the left ear.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>High-dose compound Kucen gel achieved a fertility-inhibition rate of 100% in the female rats, the number of embryos significantly lower than in the normal saline group (0.00 +/- 0.00 vs 11.00 +/- 2. 00, P < 0.05), but with no statistically insignificant difference from that of the positive control (0.00 +/- 0.00, P > 0.05). High-dose compound Kucen gel also markedly suppressed swelling in the left ear of the mice, with an inhibition rate of 52.3%, the average swelling degree significantly lower than in the normal saline group (10.17 +/- 2.56 vs 21.32 +/- 3.17, P < 0.01), but not remarkably different from that of the positive control (8.53 +/- 1.89, P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Compound Kucen gel, with its strong antifertility and anti-inflammatory effects, deserves further study and clinical application.</p>
Subject(s)
Animals , Female , Male , Mice , Rats , Anti-Inflammatory Agents , Pharmacology , Contraceptive Agents , Pharmacology , Disease Models, Animal , Drugs, Chinese Herbal , Pharmacology , Gels , Inflammation , Mice, Inbred Strains , Rats, Sprague-DawleyABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the spermicidal effect of alcohol extracts from different ratios of Sophora flavescens Ait/Chinese Bulbul in vitro.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Semen samples aseptically obtained by masturbation and prepared by density gradient centrifugation from 15 healthy men were incubated in the alcohol extracts from 9 different ratios of Sophora flavescens Ait/Chinese Bulbul for 20 seconds, 2 minutes and 4 minutes. Then the motility and movement parameters of the sperm were detected by computer-assisted semen analysis, and the minimal effective concentrations of the instant spermicidal effect of the extracts were determined.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>At the ratio of 3:1, the extract at 0.5 mg/ml significantly inhibited the sperm motility and other sperm movement parameters VCL, VSL, VAP, ALH, WOB and MAD, as compared with the control group. The minimal effective concentration of the instant spermicidal effect of the extracts was 3.5 mg/ml at 3:1.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The alcohol extracts from Sophora flavescens Ait and Chinese Bulbul at the ratio of 3:1 have the best spermicidal effect in vitro.</p>