G-1 exhibit antidepressant effect, increase of hippocampal ERs expression and improve hippocampal redox status in aged female rats.

Postmenopausal depression has been shown to be related to the reduction of ovarian hormones produced as a woman transitions from a menopausal to a post-menopausal stage. What remains to be known is which type of estrogen receptor plays a key role in estrogen neuroprotection, a process that may be mediated by potentiating brain mitochondrial function and inhibiting mitochondria-associated apoptosis. In order to better imitate the condition of postmenopause, we conducted our research on aged female rats.

[Effects of electroacupuncture on the expression of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) family and CRF receptor 1 in traumatic injury rats].

Objective: To observe the effects of electroacupunture (EA) on the abnormal hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the expression of hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) peptides family and CRF receptor (R)1 mRNA in traumatized rats, so as to study its underlying mechanism in improving traumatic injury.

Methods: Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into normal control group (n=10), normal+ EA group (n=10), surgical trauma (model) group (n=10), and model+ EA group (n=10). Traumatic injury model was established by performing an exploratory laparotomy in the rats under anesthesia.

[Effects of electro-acupuncture on signal transduction pathway of hypothalamic neuroendocrine system in ovariectomized rats].

Objective: To compare the varieties and contents of the main nerval information molecules in perfusate from hypothalamic medial preoptic area (MPOA) of the rats in different sexual cycles and the ovariectomized rats treated by electro-acupuncture, so as to observe the similarities and differences of hypothalamic neuroendocrine signal transduction pathway under the physiological and pathological status, and to explore the mechanisms of neuroendocrine signal transduction of electro-acupuncture therapeutic effect in perimenopausal syndrome.

Methods: The stereo localization technique and push-and-pull perfusion of the rat brain nucleus were adopted for collecting the hypothalamic MPOA perfusate of the female rats with normal sexual cycle, and also for collecting the MPOA perfusate of ovariectomized rats after electro-acupuncture treatment as acupuncture perfusate (AP). After being respectively microinjected into MPOA of the ovariectomized rats, the influence of the different perfusates on vagina cytology and serum estradiol (E2) level was observed.

Electroacupuncture stimulates the expression of prolactin-releasing peptide (PrRP) in the medulla oblongata of ovariectomized rats.

Electroacupuncture (EA) in reproductive medicine has become established in Western medicine as a therapy over the last decade. EA performs a variety of neuromodulatory functions in the central nervous system (CNS). Prolactin-releasing peptide (PrRP) is a neuropeptide identified as an endogenous ligand for the orphan G protein-coupled receptor hGR3.

[Effects of different segments of acupuncture serum on eosinophil counts in the rat with eosinophilia].

Objective: To further analyze and identify effective components of anti-asthma in acupuncture serum.

Methods: Changes of eosinophils in the peripheral blood of rats with eosinophilia were observed for 10 days after intravenous injection of the different segments of serum (serum: normal saline = 1:20, 2.5 mL/kg, from the first day of the model establishment, for 3 consecutive days).

Involvement of nociceptin/orphanin FQ in release of hypothalamic GnRH mediated by ORL1 receptor in ovariectomized rats.

Aim: To investigate effect of the nociceptin/orphanin FQ (OFQ) on hypothalamus gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) release in ovariectomized (OVX) rats.

Methods: GnRH radioimmunoassay (RIA) was used to study the effect of OFQ on GnRH release in hypothalamus slices in vitro. Push-pull perfusion and intracerebroventicular (icv) injection were used to examine the effect of OFQ on GnRH release in the hypothalamus medial preoptic area (POA) in vivo.