• Toxicological Research
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.71-77
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• 2017

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) consists of highly effective prescription medications for treating menopausal symptoms; however, these agents have exhibited side effects including the risk of estrogen-induced carcinogenesis. Therefore, interest in phytotherapy-based materials as a natural source of alternatives to estrogen therapy has increased. However, some of these herbal medicines have been reported to increase the risk of estrogen-induced cancer. Herbal formulations composed of a combination of Cynanchum wilfordii Hemsley (CW), Phlomis umbrosa Turczaninow (PU), and Angelica gigas Nakai (AG) extracts (CPAE) have been used for treating menopausal symptoms. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to examine the safety of CPAE by determining its potential adverse estrogenic activity using the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) test guideline 455 (TG455) in a stably transfected transcriptionally activated human estrogen receptor ${\alpha}$ ($hER{\alpha}$)-HeLa9903 cell model. We found that CPAE did not how any estrogenic activity or stimulate promoters containing estrogen response elements in MCF-7 cells. In addition, CPAE showed no significant selective activity against $hER{\alpha}$ and $hER{\beta}$, non-selective activity against the ER, or effects on ER target gene expression. Furthermore, CPAE did not significantly induce MCF-7 cell proliferation and uterine weight increase in ovariectomized rats. These results demonstrate that CPAE can be used as beneficial herbal drug for prevention and therapeutic intervention of estrogen carcinogenesis in menopausal women.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.247-254
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• 2018

A This study evaluated the antidepressant effects of the herbal mixture CPAE(Cynanchum wilfordii Hemsley, Phlomis umbrosa Turcz, and Angelica gigas Nakai) using several tests, including a test for serotonin 6($5-HT_6$) receptor activity, the forced swimming test(FST), and tests for corticosterone(CORT) and monoamine levels. CPAE showed antagonistic effects on the $5-HT_6$ receptor in a stable $5-HT_6$ receptor-expressing cell line. We subsequently confirmed the antidepressant effects of CPAE in chronic stress model in mice and explored the underlying mechanisms of its action. Specifically, we observed that CPAE treatment significantly reduced immobility time in the FST and effectively restored abnormal levels of CORT in plasma and of monoamines(serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine) in hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. These results suggest that CPAE has significant antidepressant effects.