ABSTRACT
This study was designed to investigate the potential estrogenic effects of perinatal dietary phytoestrogens on the rat uterus. Pregnant rats were divided to three groups provided the following diets: (1) rat chow, (2) rat chow with 7.5% Trifolium (T.) pratense, or (3) rat chow supplemented with 17beta-estradiol (0.5 mg/kg). The dams in each group were kept on the same diet during pregnancy and lactation. Female offspring were euthanized on day 21 at which time body and organ weights were recorded and tissue samples were taken for histology. Immunohistochemistry was performed to detect estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) and progesterone receptor (PR) levels. Our results revealed estrogen-like biological effects of perinatal T. pratense exposure. Relative uterus and ovary weights in the experimental groups were increased compared to control. The number of uterine glands and luminal epithelium heights were also increased. However, there were no statistically significant changes detected in the immunostaining intensity of ERalpha and PR between the groups.
Subject(s)
Animals , Female , Pregnancy , Rats , Animals, Suckling , Body Weight/drug effects , Estrogen Receptor alpha/metabolism , Immunohistochemistry , Isoflavones/pharmacology , Lactation , Maternal Exposure , Organ Size/drug effects , Phytoestrogens/pharmacology , Plant Components, Aerial/chemistry , Rats, Wistar , Receptors, Progesterone/metabolism , Trifolium/chemistry , Uterus/drug effectsABSTRACT
The article first reported the effect of aqueous extract of mytilus edulis (AEME) on isolated uterus of rat and mechanism of action. The result showed that AEME had a contraction effect on rat uterus,both amplitude quantity and frequency were increased. Also AEME potentiated contractions to field stimulation of rat vas deferent. These actions were blocked by alpha - receptor blocking agent phentolaming. However,it were relaxation on ileum and stomach strip of rat. These relaxations were blocked by phentolamine too. The volume of flow were decreased,it was from 47+11 dr/min to 24 + 7 dr/min,( P
ABSTRACT
AIM: To investigate the contraction effect of essential oil of Radix Angelicae Sinensis on isolated uterus in rats. METHODS: Isolated uterine strips of rats were used to observe the reactions in the presence of oxytocine and high k + depolarization solution. RESULTS: The isolated rat uterus contraction induced by oxytocin and Ca 2+ after high K + depolarization was dose dependently inhibited by the essential oil. The cumulative dose response curves of CaCl 2 shifted to right and the maximal responses were depressed. This showed that the essential oil was a non competitive antagonist. The extracellular and intracellular Ca 2+ dependent contraction evoked by oxytocin could also be inhibited by the essential oil. CONCLUSION: The essential oil of Radix Angelicae Sinensis could inhibit the contractility of the isolated uteri, and it might act as an Ca 2+ antagonist to relax the isolated rat uterus.
ABSTRACT
0.25mg/ml of Achyranthes bidentata Saponins( ABS ) in De Jalon's solution usually caused an obvious excitant action in both virgin and pregnant uterine preparations. The uterine excitation was blocked effectively by prior treatment of the preparations with 20?g/ml of indomethacin for 1 h.In the isolated uterine preparations taken from the rats treated with indomethacin, 15 mg/rat orally twice a day for 2 and a half days, the excitant action of ABS was obviously reduced.Treatment of the uterine segments with 0.5?g/ml of chlorpromazine for half an hour also blocked the excitant response. However, treatment of the uterine preparations with 10?g/ml of atropine for 10 min had no abvious effect on the excitant response. The probable mecha-nism of action of ABS was discussed.
ABSTRACT
Some aspects of uterine RNA synthesis including [3H]-uridine incorpo ration into RNA, activities of RNA polymerases and ribonucleases were studied. It was observed that both normal and pregnant animals, kept on protein-free diet for 15 and 20 days, showed a significant increase in in vivo uptake of [3H]-uridine into total RNA. Activities of RNA polymerase I and polymerase III increased two-fold in animals kept on a protein-free diet; however, RNA polymerase II activity was unaffected by protein restriction. In animals kept on protein-free diet where pregnancy was maintained by exogenous estrogen and progesterone, specific activity of nuclear RNA was further increased and the activities of RNA polymerases I, II and III markedly increased. Levels of RNase were also increased significantly during protein deficiency, thus showing a rapid turn-over of uterine RNA. These observations indicate that during protein restriction, uterine RNA synthesis is regulated at transcriptional level by a selective stimulation of RNA polymerase and RNase also plays an important role.