Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Dongcheng District Dongzhimen Nanxiao Road 16, Beijing 100700, China.
Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Pudong District cailu Road 1200, Shanghai 100101, China.
Sci Rep. 2016 May 27;6:26924. doi: 10.1038/srep26924.
Panax ginseng (GS) and Veratrum nigrum (VN) are representative of incompatible pairs in "eighteen antagonistic medicaments" that have been recorded in the Chinese medicinal literature for over 2,000 years. However, evidence linking interference effects with combination use is scare. Based on the estrogen-like effect of GS described in our previous studies, we undertake a characterization of the interaction on estrogenic activity of GS and VN using in vivo models of immature and ovariectomized (OVX) mice and in vitro studies with MCF-7 cells for further mechanism. VN decreased the estrogenic efficacy of GS on promoting the development of the uterus and vagina in immature mice, and reversing the atrophy of reproductive tissues in OVX mice. VN interfered with the estrogenic efficacy of GS by decreasing the increase of the serum estradiol and the up-regulation of ERα and ERβ expressions by treatment with GS. And VN antagonized the estrogenic efficacy of GS on promoting the viability of MCF-7 cells and up-regulation of protein and gene expressions of ERs. In conclusion, this study provided evidence that GS and VN decreased effects on estrogenic activity, which might be related to regulation of estrogen secretion and ERs.
人参（GS）和藜芦（VN）是“十八反”中具有代表性的相反药对，在中国医药文献中已有 2000 多年的记载。然而，有关联合用药干扰作用的证据却很少。基于我们之前的研究中描述的 GS 具有类雌激素作用，我们使用未成年和去卵巢（OVX）小鼠的体内模型以及 MCF-7 细胞的体外研究来进一步探讨 GS 和 VN 对雌激素活性的相互作用及其机制。VN 降低了 GS 促进未成年小鼠子宫和阴道发育以及逆转 OVX 小鼠生殖组织萎缩的雌激素功效。VN 通过降低 GS 治疗引起的血清雌二醇增加以及 ERα和 ERβ表达的上调，干扰了 GS 的雌激素功效。而且，VN 拮抗了 GS 促进 MCF-7 细胞活力和 ERs 蛋白和基因表达上调的雌激素功效。总之，本研究提供了证据表明 GS 和 VN 降低了雌激素活性，这可能与雌激素分泌和 ERs 的调节有关。
