• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.200-205
• /
• 2004

Uterine leiomyoma is the most common tumor in the female genital tract. Although the tumor is benign, it is of paramount importance since it often causes profuse menstrual bleeding, pressure symptoms, and infertility. Nevertheless, the etiology and patholphysiology of this abnormality remain poorly understood. The traditional definitive treatment for uterine leiomyomas is hysterectomy and, even today, symptomatic leiomyomas are the leading cause of hysterectomy in Korea. Clearly, the development of a safe, effective, and nonsurgical method of treatment for leiomyoma would be of great benefit to many women. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of Rhubarb on apoptosis in uterine leiomyoma cells. Results demonstrate that Rhubarb inhibited cell growth in dose-dependent manner. Cell growth significantly decreased to 60% of control in the treatment of Rhubarb (300㎍/㎖). Associated with the decreased response, there was a concomitant and significant delay of subG1 8.32% above baseline in the treatment of Rhubarb (300㎍/㎖). The delay of subG1 showed a dose-dependent manner, as evidenced by the flow cytometry. The reduced cellular viability on exposure to Rhubarb may represent the induction of apoptosis, at least in part, as concomitantly evidenced by enhanced DNA fragmentation, PARP cleavage and caspase 9 and decreased pro-caspase 3. In addition, Rhubarb decreased clAP1 expression levels in dose-dependent manner. Talcen together, there results suggest that Rhubarb can produce a potent inhibition effect of apoptosis and implicate the delay of G1 phase in the cell cycle and pathways of caspase 3 and 9 in the mechanism underlying inhibitory apoptosis effect of Rhubarb.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
• /
• v.32 no.5
• /
• pp.25-40
• /
• 2011

Objectives: This study was performed to assess whether herbal medicine and acupuncture before in vitro fertilizationembryo transfer (IVF-ET) is effective on clinical pregnancy. Methods: From May 2010 to January 2011, a prospective analysis study was performed in 38 patients planning to undergo IVF-ET after taking herb medicine and acupuncture treatment. This study investigated the pregnancy rate and analyzed the change of dysmenorrhea by visual analog scale (VAS), body heat and condition of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), vaginal discharge and menstruation status. Results: 1. During herbal medicine and acupuncture treatment, five patients (13.16%) naturally became pregnant and six patients (15.79%) withdrew. After treatment, 15 patients (39.47%) received IVF-ET, 12 patients (31.58%) did not. 2. The biochemical pregnancy rate was 26.67%, the clinical pregnancy rate 26.67%, miscarriage rate 25% and ectopic pregnancy rate was 0%. 3. After treatment, PMS, dysmenorrhea and dysmenorrhea VAS was significantly decreased and the overall menstrual status improved. 4. After treatment, temperature difference of CV17-CV12 and CV4-CV12 increased, but it was not a statistically significant difference. 5. After treatment, decrease of hemoglobin and protein and increase of total bilirubin and creatinine were statistically significant. All the blood test results were within normal levels which proves safety of treatment. Conclusions: This study suggests that herbal medicine and acupuncture treatment before IVF-ET shows similar pregnancy rates with existing rates, but contributes to increasing the possibility of natural pregnancy.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.40 no.2
• /
• pp.83-89
• /
• 2013

Objective: To investigate outcomes of stimulated IVF cycles in which GnRH antagonist was omitted on the ovulation triggering day. Methods: A total of 86 women who underwent controlled ovarian hyperstimulation with recombinant FSH and GnRH antagonist flexible multiple-dose protocols were recruited and prospectively randomized into the conventional group (group A) or cessation group (group B). The GnRH antagonist, 0.25 mg/day of cetrorelix, was started when the leading follicle reached 14 mm in diameter and was continuously administered until the hCG triggering day (group A, 43 cycles) or until the day before hCG administration (group B, 43 cycles). The maturity of oocytes, fertilization rate, embryo quality, and implantation and clinical pregnancy rates were evaluated. Results: The duration of ovarian stimulation, total dose of gonadotropins, serum estradiol levels on hCG administration day, and number of oocytes retrieved were not significantly different between the two groups. The total dose of GnRH antagonist was significantly lower in group B than group A ($2.5{\pm}0.9$ vs. $3.2{\pm}0.8$ ampoules, p<0.05). There was no premature luteinization in any of the subjects. The proportion of mature oocytes and fertilization rate were not significantly different in group B than group A (70.7% vs. 66.7%; 71.1% vs. 66.4%, respectively). There were no significant differences in the implantation or clinical pregnancy rates. Conclusion: Our prospective randomized study suggested that cessation of GnRH antagonist on the hCG administration day during a flexible multiple-dose protocol could reduce the total dose of GnRH antagonist without compromising its effects on pregnancy rates.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.16-26
• /
• 2015

The female reproductive tract has two main functions: protection against microbial challenge and maintenance of pregnancy to term. The upper reproductive tract comprises the fallopian tubes and the uterus, including the endocervix, and the lower tract consists of the ectocervix and the vagina. Immune cells residing in the reproductive tract play contradictory roles: they maintain immunity against vaginal pathogens in the lower tract and establish immune tolerance for sperm and an embryo/fetus in the upper tract. The immune system is significantly influenced by sex steroid hormones, although leukocytes in the reproductive tract lack receptors for estrogen and progesterone. The leukocytes in the reproductive tract are distributed in either an aggregated or a dispersed form in the epithelial layer, lamina propria, and stroma. Even though immune cells are differentially distributed in each organ of the reproductive tract, the predominant immune cells are T cells, macrophages/dendritic cells, natural killer (NK) cells, neutrophils, and mast cells. B cells are rare in the female reproductive tract. NK cells in the endometrium significantly expand in the late secretory phase and further increase their number during early pregnancy. It is evident that NK cells and regulatory T (Treg) cells are extremely important in decidual angiogenesis, trophoblast migration, and immune tolerance during pregnancy. Dysregulation of endometrial/decidual immune cells is strongly related to infertility, miscarriage, and other obstetric complications. Understanding the immune system of the female reproductive tract will significantly contribute to women's health and to success in pregnancy.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.26 no.3
• /
• pp.369-375
• /
• 1999

Objective: To evaluate the effect of serum obtained before and after treatment for endometriosis on in vitro fertilization and development of two cell mouse embryo. Design: Pretreatment and posttreatment comparoson of fertilization of mouse oocyte and embryo development in serum supplement from patients with endometriosis; result were compared using Stuent T-test analysis. Method: Infertility Clinic, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Collage of Medicine, Won kwang university, Korea. Patients was chosed eleven consecutive women with endometriosis. Interventions was all patient underwent laparoscopic or conservative surgery. This was followed by a 6-month course of burserelin acetate $900{\mu}g/d$. Main outcome was measured total number of fertilization and embryo that was fertilization after 24 hours and reached blastocyst stage after 72 hours of incubation were compared before and after treatment. Result: Before treatment, 47% of the oocyte were fertilized and 31% of the embryo reached blastocyst stage. After treatment, Significantly more fertilized and Significantly more embryo developed to blastocyst on the stage I and II of endometriosis. Conclusion: The fertilization and embryo toxicity of serum samples from patients with endometriosis is lost after treatment.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.13 no.1
• /
• pp.21-28
• /
• 1986

It is now apparent that many cases of amenorrhea. oligomenorrhea. corpus luteum deficiency, galactorrhea, and infertility are due to hyperprolactinemia. We investigated the relationships between serum prolactin values and factors such as menstrual pattern, frequency of galactorrhea etc, in 135 hyperproIactinemic patients at the Seoul National University Hospital during a period of 6 years, from January, 1979 to December, 1984. The results was as follows: 1. Menstrual pattern changed according to the serum prolactin level. The frequency of amenorrhea is 1.7 percent in patients with serum prolactin levels ranged from $25{\sim}40ng/ml$, whereas 72.4 percent in patients with serum prolactin levels above 100ng/ml. 2. The incidence of galactorrhea in hyperprolactinemic patients was 3.1 percent and the frequency of galactorrhea had direct relationship with the serum prolactin level and/or the frequency of abnormal menstrual pattern. 3. The incidence of pituitary tumor in hyperprolactinemic patients was 104 percent and sixty percent of patients with serum prolactin levels above 100ng/ml had a pituitary tumor . 4. There was an inverse correlation between serum prolactin and progesletone value. 5. The frequency of anovulatory menstrual cycle evidenced by basal body temperature is 23.9 percent in patients with serum prolactin levels ranged from $20{\sim}40ng/ml$, whereas 76.9 percent in patients with serum prolactin levels above 100ng/ml.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.1-6
• /
• 1987

The Radionuclide test (RN test) using radioactively labelled human albumin microspheres was developed recently to evaluate the patency and functional capacity of the fallopian tubes. 57 infertile women underwent this procedure as a part of their infertility work up. The results of the radionuclide evaluation were compared with those of the hysterosalpingography (HSG) and further the surgical findings of the laparoscopy and laparotomy. In 64.9%(37/57) of the cases, there was complete agreement between radionuclide test (RN test), hysterosalpingography(HSG) and surgical findings. In comparison with surgical findings, RN test showed a complete agreement rate of 89.4%(51/57), a partial agreement rate of 5.3%(3/57) and no agreement rate of 5.3%(3/57), respectively. Likewise, HSG revealed a complete agreement rate of 80.7%(46/57), a partial agreement rate of 10.5%(6/57) and no agreement 8.8%(5/57), respectively. It would appear that as opposed to the traditional HSG, RN test may give a better understanding of the functional capacity of the tube and may prove a useful method before and after tubal surgery.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.163-170
• /
• 1995

Growth factors (GFs) produced by the embryo or by the maternal reproductive tract have been reported to regulate the embryonic development and differentiation. Among GFs, EGF as a mitogen plays a role in mitosis and functional differentiation of trophectoderm cells in mouse. The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of EGF on development of mouse embryos and to localize EGF in the mouse oocytes and embryos, which has been reported to be detected in the reproductive tract in mammals. To investigate the effect of EGF on the development of the embryo, mouse 2-cell embryos were cultured to blastocysts stage in Ham's F10 medium, treated with EGF(10-50 ng/ml) for 72 hrs. Immunocytochemistry was performed from oocyte to blastocyst stage with anti-EGF and anti-Mouse IgG, in order to determine the stage which EGF would be expressed in mouse. Exogenous EGF (more than 10 ng/ml) in the culture medium improved the developmental and hatching rates in the mouse embryos. As a result of immunocytochemistry, the embryonic EGF was expressed after the late 4-cell stage. EGF is thought to enhance preimplantation embryonic development and hatching. Exogenous EGF in the culture medium is thought to activate EGF receptor in the late 4-cell embryos and to enhance blastulation and hatching in mouse embryos. It is concluded that EGF enhances the developmental and hatching rates in the mouse embryos.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.35 no.2
• /
• pp.250-255
• /
• 2011

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a very common endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age. Nerve growth factor (NGF) may be involved in the pathogenesis of PCOS. In this study, we investigated the effect of Korean red ginseng extract (KRGE) on the ovarian morphology and NGF expression in an estradiol valerate (EV)-induced rat model. Polycystic ovaries were induced by a single intramuscular injection of estadiol valerate (4 mg, dissolved in sesame oil) in adult cycling rats. KRGE was administered orally (200 mg/kg body weight/day) for 60 consecutive days, beginning 60 days after the induction. Ovarian morphology was almost normalized and NGF was normalized in the EV+KRGE group. KRGE lowered the high numbers of antral follicles and increased the number of corpora lutea in the polycystic ovaries. The results are consistent with a beneficial effect of KRGE in the treatment of PCOS.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.48 no.1
• /
• pp.43-49
• /
• 2021

Objective: Exercise is a risk factor for infertility in women. However, research on the effects of different intensities of exercise on folliculogenesis has not yielded clear results. This study was conducted to analyze the effects of differences in the intensity of exercise on folliculogenesis in mice. Methods: Nineteen female BALB/c mice (age, 3-4 months; weight, 13-25 g) were randomly divided into four groups: control, mild exercise, moderate exercise, and high-intensity exercise. The mice in the exercise groups engaged in swimming, with additional loads of 3%, 6%, or 9% of body weight, respectively. There were five swimming sessions per week for 4 weeks, with a gradually increasing duration every week. At the end of the treatment, ovarian extraction was carried out and hematoxylin and eosin staining was performed to identify folliculogenesis. Results: There were significant differences in the number of total follicles between the control and moderate-exercise groups (p=0.036) and between the mild- and moderate-exercise groups (p=0.005). The mean number of primary follicles was higher in the moderate-exercise group than in the mild-exercise group (p=0.006). The mean number of secondary, tertiary, and Graafian follicles did not differ significantly among groups (p≥0.05). However, the number of total follicles and follicles in each phase tended to increase after exercise, especially moderate-intensity exercise. Conclusion: Exercise of different intensities affected the total number of follicles and primary follicles. The number of follicles of each phase tended to increase after exercise. Moderate-intensity exercise had better effects than other intensities of exercise.