Abstract
The desert-dwelling Cistanche herb was first recorded in the “Shen Nong Herbal Classic” and is listed as the top-grade herbal medicine in this publication. The Chinese Pharmacopoeia records that pieces of Cistanche deserticola (CD) and rice wine-steamed Cistanche deserticola (WCD) can be used in the clinic as the main types of decoctions. After being steamed with rice wine, the antiaging and tonifying kidney-yang effects are enhanced. In this study, we detected the chemical content of CD and WCD and the pharmacological mechanism of invigorating kidney-yang deficiency in model rats. Aim. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of CD and WCD on the neuroendocrine-immune function of kidney-yang deficiency in glucocorticoid-overdosed model rats. Materials and methods. Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were selected. The rats were subcutaneously injected with corticosterone water suspension for the glucocorticoid-overdosed model rats. The positive control rats were gavaged with Jinkuishenqi pills and high-, medium-, and low-dose CD/WCD suspensions (1.646 g/(kg day), 5.48 g/(kg day), 2.74 g/(kg day), and 1.37 g/(kg day), respectively); the blank control (BC) and model control (MC) groups were given the same volume of distilled water as those in the drug group for 40 consecutive days at a dose of 1 mL/100 g. After the last administration, the blood was collected from the abdominal aorta, and serum levels of T, CRH, ACTH, CORT, cortisol, IL-10, IL-6, IL-2, TNF-α, and IFN-γ were measured. Organ indexes of the thymus gland and the spleen were calculated. The expression of Bax, Bcl-2, caspase-3, Fas, and FasL in the adrenal gland was measured by immunohistochemistry. The pathological changes in the thymus gland and the adrenal gland were observed by HE staining (×200). T lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood were detected by flow cytometry, and the expression of CaM mRNA in the hypothalamus and hypophysis tissues was also measured by RT-PCR. Results. Compared with the MC group, the CD and WCD groups exhibited increases in activity, the organ index of the thymus and the spleen, the serum levels of T, CRH, ACTH, CORT, cortisol, IL-2, and IL-10, the ratio of CD4+/CD8+, and the expression of Bcl-2, caspase-3, Fas, FasL, and CaM in the hypophysis tissue. The CD and WCD groups also exhibited reductions in the IL-6, TNF-α, and IFN-γ levels in serum and the expression of CaM mRNA in the hypothalamus. Conclusions. Each dose of CD and WCD could counteract the dysregulated sex hormone and immune factors in glucocorticoid-overdosed model rats, enhancing and restoring the effect of the hypothalamic nerve cells and improving immune function.
Highlights
Cistanche deserticola, which is called “desert ginseng,” is a traditional Chinese medicine that has been used for centuries as a yang-tonic herb for invigorating the kidney and strengthening the yang [1]
One hour after the last administration, the rats were anesthetized by intraperitoneal injection of urethane solution (20 g/100 mL), and blood was taken from the abdominal aorta. e blood was centrifuged at 3500 r for 15 min to obtain the serum and stored at −20°C. e concentrations of IL-10, IL-6, IL-2, TNF-α, and IFN-c were detected with rat ELISA kits according to the manufacturer’s instructions
In the positive control (PC) group, the cortical and medullar boundaries were clearly visible. e cells of the globular and bundle bands were arranged evenly, and the morphological structure had clearly been restored. e same better restoration was observed in the wine-steamed Cistanche deserticola (WCD) groups, and the effects in the WCD middle-dose (WCD-MD) group were better than those of the WCD high-dose (WCD-HD) and WCD low-dose (WCD-LD) groups. e morphology of the adrenal gland in the Cistanche deserticola (CD) groups was not as good as that in the WCD groups
Summary
Cistanche deserticola, which is called “desert ginseng,” is a traditional Chinese medicine that has been used for centuries as a yang-tonic herb for invigorating the kidney and strengthening the yang [1]. 2015 Chinese Pharmacopoeia recorded that Cistanche thick slices (CD) and rice wine-steamed Cistanche (WCD) could be used as decoction pieces in the clinic. Our research group showed that the laxative effect was relieved, and the antiaging and kidney-yang invigorating effects were enhanced after Cistanche was steamed with rice wine [15]. We replicated kidney-yang deficiency in model rats with exogenous corticosteroid injection and explored the mechanism of the kidney-yang deficiency in response to different processed products of Cistanche deserticola from the perspective of endocrine-immune function
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
