Intervention of gonad function with tian nian yin in acute senile rat model

Congru QI; Zhihong CHEN; Songhe YANG

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

In follow of the gradual decrease of senile gonad function in the body, traditional Chinese medicine views that deficiency of essential qi is the chief reason of body senility.

OBJECTIVE:

To observe the effects of tian nian yin on serum testosterone content, superoxide dismutase activity in testicular tissue and apoptosis of testicular seminiferous cell in subacute senile rats.

DESIGN:

Randomized controlled experiment.

SETTING:

Human Anatomy Department of Chengde Medical College. MATERIALS The experiment was performed in Institute of Basic Medicine of Chengde Medical College from April to July 2003, in which,40 SD male rats were employed and randomized into 4 groups, 10 rats in each group. In model group, medicinal group and the control, D-galactose was injected 200 mg/(kg·d) to prepare subacute senile animal model, once a day, continuously for 40 days. No any management was given in model group after modeling success. In medicinal group, gastric infusion with tian nian yin [composed of zhi heshouwu (Radix Polygoni Mutiflori Preparatea),huainiuxi (Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae), roucongrong (Herba Cistanchis),fuling (Poria), danshen (Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae) and yinyanghuo (Herba Epimedii), it was decocted till 1.5 g/mL with raw herbs contained] was administrated once a day, totally for 30 days after modeling success. In the control, gastric infusion was administrated with physiological saline of same usage as the medicinal group after modeling success.

INTERVENTIONS:

In every group, enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to determine testosterone content in serum. Xanthine oxidase assay (XOD) was used to determine superoxide dismutase activity in testicular tissue and immunohistochemical method (IHC) was used to observe apoptosis of testicular seminiferous cell. MAIN OUTCOME

MEASURES:

① Testosterone content in serum. ②Superoxide dismutase activity in testicular tissue. ③ Apoptosis of testicular seminiferous cell

RESULTS:

Forty rats all entered result analysis. ① Testosterone content in serum Testosterone content in model group was lower than normal group [(0.52±0.15) μg/L, (1.26 0.32) μg/L, (t=3.004, P ＜ 0.05)], and that in medicinal group was higher than model group [(1.16±0.32) μg/L,(0.52 0.15) μg/L, (t=2.321, P ＜ 0.05)]. ② Superoxide dismutase activity in testicular tissue Superoxide dismutase activity in model group was lower remarkably than the normal group [(107.22±9.33) kNU/g, (147.73±11.90) kNU/g,(t=13.339, P ＜ 0.01)], and that in medicinal group was higher remarkably than model group [(141.05±14.57) kNU/g, (107.22±9.33) kNU/g, (t=9.970,P ＜ 0.01)]. ③ Apoptosis of testicular seminiferous cell Percentage of apoptotic seniniferous tubule and apoptotic rate of positive cell in model group were higher remarkably thannormal group respectively [(53.95 ±2.02)％compared with (34.21±2.10)％, (8.67±0.80)％ compared with (3.86±0.52)％,(x2=7.9, P ＜ 0.01, x2=5.01, P ＜ 0.05)], and those in medicinal group were lower remarkably than model group[(35.33±2.18)％ compared with (53.95±2.02)％, (4.68±0.74)％ compared with (8.67±0.80)％, (x2=7.02, P ＜ 0.01, x2=3.96, P ＜ 0.05)].

CONCLUSION:

The apoptosis of testicular seminiferous cell was increased in senile modelgroup. Tian nian yin in gastric infusion decreased apoptotic rate of positive cell. It is explained that tian nian yin eliminates surplus oxygenic free radical, decreases apoptosis and improves seminiferous function in animal model.