Polysaccharides of Fructus corni Improve Ovarian Function in Mice with Aging-Associated Perimenopause Symptoms

Abstract

Objective. Perimenopause symptoms have an extremely high incidence in aging women. Development of new strategies to improve perimenopause symptoms is important topic in clinical context. Increasing studies have shown that the polysaccharides of Fructus corni (PFC) have many pharmacological activities including antiaging effects. Here, we evaluated the effects of PFC on the ovarian function in natural aging-associated perimenopause symptoms in mice. Methods. Natural aging mice (16-month old) were orally administrated with PFC at 1.11 g/kg daily for 24 days with none-treated young mice (3-month old) as control. Blood samples were collected for measurements of serum levels of estradiol, progesterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). Ovaries were isolated for histopathological and molecular exanimations. Results. We found that the aging mice had decreased number of growing follicles and corpus luteum in ovary, but treatment with PFC restored their amounts. Measurement of hormones showed that there were low serum levels of estradiol and progesterone but high levels of LH and FSH in aging mice; however PFC restored estradiol and progesterone levels but reduced LH and FSH levels. Immunohistochemical analysis with ovarian tissues also revealed that the expression of inhibin and insulin-like growth factor 1 was reduced in the ovary of aging mice but was restored by PFC. These data indicated that PFC regulated ovarian function-associated hormone levels in aging mice. Furthermore, there was reduced expression of antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 and increased expression of proapoptotic molecules Bax and cleaved-caspase-3 in the ovary of aging mice. However, treatment with PFC upregulated Bcl-2 and downregulated Bax and cleaved-caspase-3, suggesting that PFC inhibited apoptosis of granulosa cells in the ovary of aging mice. Conclusion. PFC improved the ovarian function in mice, which had high potential to be developed as a safe and effective therapeutic remedy for aging-associated perimenopause symptoms.

The Metabolomic Rationale for Treating Perimenopausal Syndrome as Kidney Deficiency

“…Swaps from the vagina were taken everyday when the rats reached the age of 11 months old and continued for at least 8 days for microscopic observations of shedding cells. The rats were deemed to be perimenopausal when the menstrual cycle became irregular typically at the ages of about 11–13 months old [ 14 , 15 ]. The appearance, weight, food intake, and activity were monitored throughout the experiment.…”

Antiaging Effects of Dietary Polysaccharides: Advance and Mechanisms

“…In addition, oral administration of polysaccharides of Fructus corni (PFC) significantly restored the protein levels of Bcl-2 and reduced the expression of Bax and caspase-3 in ovarian granulosa cells of senescent mice. It suggests that PFC can prevent the apoptosis of granulosa cells in the ovary of aging mice, thus reducing the aging rate of the cells [41]. Dendrobium is one of the most important herbal foods for the treatment of geriatric diseases, and Dendrobium officinale polysaccharides (DOP) could reduce 3 Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity cognitive impairment in accelerated aging mouse models by activating microglia [42].…”

Cornuside I promoted osteogenic differentiation of bone mesenchymal stem cells through PI3K/Akt signaling pathway

“…Corni Fructus, attributed to the liver and kidney meridians, has the effect of promoting blood circulation, invigorating vital energy, and treating pain all over the body [ 15 – 17 ]. Corni Fructus is one of the most frequently prescribed herbs in traditional Chinese medicine formula for treatment of osteoporosis in China [ 18 ]. Cornuside I, as a main active ingredient of Corni Fructus, is an iridoid glycoside extracted from Corni Fructus.…”