Stimulation of the Secretion of Luteinizing Hormone by Ginsenoside-Rb1 in Male Rats

Shiow-Chwcn Tsai；Yu-Chung Chiao；Chien-Chen Lu；Paulus S. Wang

ginsenoside-Rb1 ； LU ； swimming

The Chinese Journal of Physiology

46卷1期（2003 / 03 / 31）

1 - 7

英文

Ginsenoside-Rb1 is one of the pharmacologically active components of ginseng, the dry root of Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer (Araliaceae), a well-known traditional Chinese medicine. Ginseng enhanced mounting behaviour of male rats and increased sperm counts in rabbit testes. Some experimental results suggested no sex hormone-like function in ginseng but probably gonadotropin-like action. The present study was to explore the effect of ginsenoside-Rb1 on the secretion of luteinizing hormone (LU) both in vivo and in vitro. Male rats were orchidectomized (Orch) for 2 weeks or subjected to swim training for 1 week before catheterization via the right jugular vein. They were intravenously injected with ginsenoside-Rb1 (10μg/kg) or saline at 15 mm prior to a challenge of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRU) or 10 min-swim. Blood samples were collected at several time intervals following intravenous injection of ginsenoside-Rb1. In the in vitro experiment, male rats were decapitated and their anterior pituitary gland (APs) were either bisceted or enzymatically dispersed. The hemi-APs were preincubated with Locke’s medium at 37℃ for 90 min and then incubated with Locke’s medium containing ginsenoside-Rbl (10(superscript -7)~ 10(superscript -4) M) for 30 min. The dispersed AP cells (1×10^5 cells per well) were primed with dihydrotestosterone (BUT, 10(superscript -4) M) for 3 days, and then challenged with ginsenoside-Rbl (10(superscript -6) and 10(superscript -4) M, n=8) for 3 h. The concentrations of LU or testosterone in samples were measured by radioimmunoassays. Administration of ginsenoside-Rb1 did not alter the levels of plasma LU in both intact and Orch rats but significantly increased plasma LU concentration at the termination of the 10 mm swimming exercise. Administration of ginsenoside-Rb1 resulted in a lower testosterone response to GnRU challenge or swimming exercise as compared with saline-treated rats. Ginsenoside-Rb1 dose- dependently increased the release of LU from both hemi-AP tissues and the BUT-primed dispersed AP cells in vitro. These results suggest that ginsenoside-Rb1 increases LU secretion by acting directly on rat AP cells.

1. Brisson, G.R.,Volle, M.A.,Desharnais, M.,Dion, M.,Tanaka, M.(1977).Pituitary-gonadal axis in exercising man (Abstract).Med. Sci. Sport Exerc,9,47.
2. Chang, H.M.,But, P.P.(1986).Pharmacology and Applications of Chinese Materia Medica.Singapore:World Scientific.
3. Cumming, D.C.,Brunsting, L.A.,Strich, G.,Ries, A.L.,Rebar, R.W.(1986).Reproductive hormone increases in response to acuted exercise in men.Med. Sci. Sports Exerc,18,369-373.
4. Cumming, D.C.,Wall, S.R.,Gallbraith, M.A.,Belcastro, A.N.(1987).Reproductive hormone responses to resistance training.Med. Sci. Sports Exerc,19,234-238.
5. Deschenes, M.R.,Maresh, C.M.,Armstrong, L.E.,Covault, J.,Kraemer, W.J.,Crivello, J.F.(1994).Endurance and resistance exercise induce muscle fiber type specific responses in androgen binding capacity.J. Steroid Biochem. Mol. Biol,50,175-176.
6. Dessypris, K.,Kuoppasalmi, K.,Adlercreutz, H.(1976).Plasma cortisol, testosterone, androstenedione and luteinizing hormone (LH) in a non-competitive marathon run.J. Steroid Biochem,7,33-37.
7. Fahim, M.S.,Fahim, Z.,Harman, J. M.,Clevenger, T. E.,Mullins, W.,Hafez, E.S.(1982).Effect of Panax ginseng on testosterone level and prostate in male rats.Arch. Androl,8,261-263.
8. Gaffney, B.T.,Hugel, H.M.,Rich, P.A.(2001).The effects of Eleutherococcus senticosus and Panax ginseng on steroidal hormones indices of stress and lymphocyte subset numbers in endurance athletes.Life Sci,70,431-442.
9. Gawel, M.J.,Park, D.M.,Alaghband-Zadeh, J.,Rose, F.C.(1976).Exercise and hormonal secretion.Prostgrad. Med. J,55,370-376.
10. Guezennec, Y.,Leger, L.,Lhost, F.,Aymonod, M.,Pesquies, P. C.(1986).Hormone and metabolic response to weight-lifting training sessions.Int. J. Sports Med.,7,100-105.
11. Hubert, J.F.,Vincent, A.,Labrie, F.(1986).Estrogenic activity of phenol red in rat anterior pituitary cells in culture.Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun,141,885-891.
12. Hwang, C.,Pu, H.F.,Hwang, C.Y.,Liu, J.Y.,Yao, H.C.,Tung, Y.F.,Wang, P.S.(1990).Age-related differences in the release of luteinizing hormone and gonadotropin-releasing hormone in ovariectomized rats.Neuroendocrinology,52,127-132.
13. Kim, Y.-R.,Lee, S.Y.,Shin, B.-A.,Kim, K.-M.(1999).Panax ginseng blocks morphine-induced thymic apoptosis by lowering plasma corticosterone level.Gen. Pharmacol,32,647-652.
14. Kraemer, W.J.,Gordon, S.E.,Fleck, S.J.,Marchitelli, L.J.,Mello, R.,Dziados, J.E.,Friedel, K.,Harman, E.,Maresh, C.,Fry, A.C.(1991).Endogenous anabolic hormonal and growth factor responses to heavy resistance exercise in males and females.Int. J. Sports Med,12,228-235.
15. Liu, T. C.,G. L. Jackson(1988).Actions of 17β-estradiol on gonadotropin release induced by drugs that activate intracellular signal transduction mechanism in rat anterior pituitary cells.Biol. Reprod,39,787-796.
16. Liu, T.C.,Pu, H.F.,Wang, P.S.(1993).Unimpaired postreceptor regulation of luteinizing hormone secretion by gonadotropin-releasing hormone and estrogen in aged rat anterior pituitary cells.Endocrinology,132,1189-1194.
17. Lu, S.S.,Lau, C.P.,Tung, Y.F.,Huang, S.W.,Chen, Y.H.,Shih, H.C.,Tsai, S.C.,Lu, C.C.,Wang, S.W.,Chen, J.J.,Chien, E.J.,Chien, C.H.,Wang, P.S.(1997).Lactate and the effects of exercise on testosterone secretion: evidence for the involvement of a cAMPmediated mechanism.Med. Sci. Sport. Exerc,29,1048-1054.
18. Maresh, C.M.,Cook, M.R.,Cohen, H.D.,Graham, C.,Gunn, W. S.(1988).Exercise testing in the evaluation of human responses to powerline frequency fields.Aviat. Space Environ. Med,29,1139-1145.
19. Morville, R.,Pesqies, P.C.,Guezzenec, C.Y.,Serrurier, B.C.,Guinard, M.(1979).Plasma variation in testicular and adrenal androgens during prolonged physical exercise in man.Ann. Endocrinol,40,501-510.
20. Murphy, L.L.,Cadena, R.S.,Chavez, D.,Ferraro, J.S.(1998).Effect of American ginseng (Panax quinquefolium) on male copulatory behavior in the rat.Physiol. Behav,64,445-450.
21. Sheu, W.J.,Pu, H.F.,Wang, S.W.,Ho, L.L.T.,Wang, P.S.(1987).Metabolic clearence rate and secretion rate of gastric inhibitory polypeptide in the rat.Chinese J. Physiol,30,25-33.
22. Steel, R.G.D.,Torrie, J.H.(1960).Principles and Procedures of Statistics.New York:McGraw-Hill.
23. Sutton, J.R.,Coleman, M.J.,Casey, M.,Lazarus, L.(1973).Androgen responses during physical exercise.Br. Med. J,1,520-522.
24. Tsai S.C.,Chen, J.J.,Chiao, Y.C.,Lu, C.C.,Lin, H.,Yeh, J.Y.,Lo, M.J.,Kau, M.M.,Wang, S.W.,Wang, P.S.(1997).The role of cyclic AMP production, calcium channel activation and enzyme activaties in the inhibition of testosterone secretion byamphetamine.Brit. J. Pharmacol,122,949-955.
25. Wang, P.S.,Liu, J.Y.,Hwang, C.Y.,Hwang, C.,Day, C. H.,Chang, C. H.,Pu, H.F.,Pan, J. T.(1989).Age-related differences in the spontaneous and thyrotropin-releasing hormone-stimulated release of prolactin and thyrotropin in ovariectomized rats.Neuroendocrinology,49,592-596.
26. Wang, P.S.,Tsai S.C.,Hwang, G.S.,Wang, S.W.,Lu, C.C.,Chen, J.J.,Liu, S. R.,Lee, K.Y.,Chien, C.H.,Lee, H.Y.,Lau, C.P.,Tsai, C.L.(1994).Calcitonin inhibits testosterone and luteinizing hormone secretion through a mechanism involving an increase in cAMP production in rats.J. Bone Miner. Res.,9,1583-1590.