Hormone-like activities of Kuntai capsule in the uteri of ovariectomized rats and immature rabbits

Abstract OBJECTIVE To investigate the hormone-like activities of Kuntai capsule (KTC) in the uteri of ovariectomized rats and immature rabbits. METHODS Following bilateral ovariectomy, rats were randomly divided into six groups including sham group, control group, estradiol valerate group, KTC 0.24, 0.6, and 1.5 g/kg groups. The rats were treated with 0.5% CMC-Na, estradiol valerate and KTC (0.24, 0.6, and 1.5 g/kg), respectively for 28 consecutive days. Then the estrous cycle, uterine changes and pathological changes were examined. Serum levels of estradiol (E2), and progesterone (P4) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Protein levels of estradiol receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and nuclear-associated antigen-67 (Ki-67) in uterine tissues were detected by western blot. Immature rabbits were estrogen-primed prior to intragastric administration with KTC for 6 d consecutively. Then, the uteri underwent hematoxylin-eosin staining to observe endometrial transformation. RESULTS Compared with the control group, 0.6 and 1.5 g/kg KTC markedly decreased the uterine organ coefficient and endometrial thickness ( P P P P P CONCLUSION KTC does not demonstrate obvious estrogen-like effect on uteri after ovariectomy, but it does exhibit weak progestogen-like effect, by which mechanism of action is yet to be further investigated.