Regulation of Intermittent Hypoxia on Brain Dopamine in Amphetaminized Rats.

We investigated intermittent hypoxia (IH) on dopamine (DA) release in rat brain treated with or without amphetamine (AMPH). Rats were divided into four groups including normoxia, IH, AMPH, and AMPH + IH treatments. The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was collected and the DA levels were detected by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

Antisteroidogenic effects of hydrogen peroxide on rat granulosa cells.

Rat granulosa cells (GCs) were treated with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), 8-bromo-adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (8-Br-cAMP), forskolin, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), A23187 or pregnenolone in the absence or presence of hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)). Different doses of trilostane were applied to GCs treated with steroidogenic precursors, that is, 25-hydroxy-cholesterol (25-OH-C) in the absence or presence of H(2)O(2). Results showed that all of the chemicals stimulated the progesterone (PG) release from rat GCs, but the stimulatory effects were inhibited by H(2)O(2) dose-dependently.

Effects of nonylphenol on the production of progesterone on the rats granulosa cells.

We investigated the effects of nonylphenol (NP) on release of progesterone (PG) by granulosa cells (GCs) of rats in vitro and in vivo. First, GCs were treated with different doses of NP for 2-24 h alone or with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Maximal PG secretion at 8 h noted, GCs were treated for 2 h with hCG, 8-bromo-adenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate (8-Br-cAMP), forskolin, A23187, nifedipine, and pregnelonone to evaluate the NP effects on PG steroidogenesis.

Effects of catechin, epicatechin and epigallocatechin gallate on testosterone production in rat leydig cells.

Catechins have been reported to have many pharmacological properties such as the effects of anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, anti-ultraviolet, and reduction of blood pressure as well as glucose and cholesterol levels. However, the effect of catechins on the reproductive mechanism is still unknown. In the present study, the effects of catechins on testosterone secretion in rat testicular Leydig cells (LCs) were explored.

Attenuation of estradiol on the reduction of striatal dopamine by amphetamine in ovariectomized rats.

Amphetamine (AMPH) is a highly addictive drug of abuse which exhibits toxicity to dopaminergic neurons in long-term abusers. Estrogen seems to show neuroprotection in dopamine (DA) deficit caused by AMPH. The present study was to investigate the effects of estradiol on the levels of striatal DA in ovariectomized (Ovx) rats treated with or without AMPH.

Effects of evodiamine and rutaecarpine on the secretion of corticosterone by zona fasciculata-reticularis cells in male rats.

Evodiamine (EVO) and rutaecarpine (RUT) are two bioactive alkaloid isolated from Chinese herb named Wu-Chu-Yu. Previous studies have shown that EVO and RUT possess thermoregulation, vascular regulation, anti-allergic, anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities. The mechanisms of EVO and RUT effect on steroidogenesis are not clear.