Effect of Compound Recipe Gengniankang （更年康） on Senile Sexual Hormone and Expression of Estrogen Receptor in Bone of Climacteric Female Rats

Objective: To compare the therapeutic effect of Compound Recipe Gengniankang (更年康,GNK) with that of hormone replacement treatment (HRT) on climacteric female rats with osteoporosis, and to investigate the roles of estrogen and estrogen receptors in the mechanism of osteoporosis. Methods: Climac-teric female rats with osteoporosis were chosen and divided into three groups (GNK group, HRT group and control group). Apoptosis of ovarian granulose cells was measured by terminal-deoxynucleotidyl transferae mediated nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay. Serum level of estrdiol (E2), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) were determined by the method of radioimmunoassay (RIA). Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCT) technology was used to evaluate the expression of estrogen receptor (ER) in bone. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by double energy X-ray absorption (DEXA). Results: In the climacteric rats, BMD, serum E2, ER mRNA expression in bone decreased remarkably, and serum FSH, LH and apoptosis of ovarian granulose cells increased obviously. After treating with GNK, all the indexes were reversed except serum E2. The increase of E2 was not significant. Conclusion:GNK is effective on climacteric osteoporosis female rats. Its role is performed not by increasing serum E2 but by enhancing ER in the bone and inhibiting apoptosis of ovarian granulose cells. GNK can deter further exhaustion of ovarian function.