Integra

Introduction

We studied the mechanism of exercise-induced lowering of serum testosterone and effects of the traditional Chinese medicine in the different acting styles on hypothalamus gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH)mRNA and pituitary luteinizing homone (LH)mRNA, as well as follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) mRNA gene expression.

Methods

40 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups equally. Those were control group, training group, group 1 administered by gullet (M1, first invigorate the Spleen method, then tonify the Kidney method, which is called Xu Guan method, in which prescription contains tangshen , largehead attractylodes rhizome, licorice root, medication information ratio is respectively 1:1:1:1); Group 2 administered by gullet (M2, tonify the Kidney method, in which prescription contains common monkshood prepared daughter root, Chinese cassia tree, Chinese fox-Glove root, Asiatic cornelian cherry fruit, common yam rhizome, bary wolfberry fruit, shorthorned epimedium herb, licrice root, medication information ratio is respectively 2:1:3:2:3:3:3:1). Medicines were made into herbal medicine that contains about 1g/ml, administered by gullet according to 10g/kg body weight, once everyday. Other groups were administered equal volume of distilled water. Reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique was used to observe the effects of 8 week step swimming training, the traditional Chinese medicine in the different acting styles on GnRH and LH, FSH mRNA expression as well as serum testosterone content.

Results

Serum testosterone has more remarkable decrease in T group than in C group (p<0.05). At same time, LH, FSH, GnRH gene expression in T group obviously declines. However, compared with T group, both M1 and M2 significantly increase the levels of serum testoterone (P<0.05). Furthermore, the LH, FSH, GnRH gene expression in M1 and M2 groups rises obviously, which may improve the function of hypothalamus-pituitary -gonad axis (HPGA). What is more, acting effect in M1 group was more advanced than in M2 group.

Conclusions

The results suggest prolonged heavy training results in low serum testosterone and down-regulation of GnRH, LH, FSH mRNA expression, which restrains the function of negative feedback in the different extents. However, the two kinds of different regulating styles in the traditional Chinese medicine both raise exercise-induced serum testosterone level and alleviate restraining fuction of HPGA negative feedback. Besides, the acting style in M1 group has more advantage over M2 group.