Shibimijihwang-tang elevates intracellular ATP and choline content in the cerebral cortex of ovariectomized rats

Shibimijihwang-tang (SJT) has been used traditionally to improve systemic b lood circulation and biological energy production in patients with circulat ory and neuronal diseases. The object of this study is to determine the eff ect of SJT extract on the intracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and ch oline content in the cerebral cortex of ovariectomized (OVX) rats. Bilatera l ovaries of 8-week-old rats were removed. Rats were maintained for 12 week s to deplete ovarian steroid hormones, followed by treatment with SJT at 50 0 mg/kg body weight per day for 12 weeks. High rate of body weight increase in the OVX rats was markedly reduced by treatment with SJT, but the change in body weight of normal rats was not affected by it. SJT also significant ly reduced the decline of cerebral weight in the OVX rats (P < 0.05). Tissu e glucose content in the cerebral cortex of OVX rats was significantly incr eased by SJT treatment (P < 0.05). A decline in cerebral ATP content in OVX rats was dramatically restored by SJT administration (P < 0.01), but SJT d id not change the cerebral ATP content in normal rats. Cerebral choline con tent also declined following ovariectomy. This reduction was significantly elevated by SJT treatment (P < 0.05), but SJT did not affect the change in cerebral choline in normal rats. Taken together, these results demonstrate that SJT can reduce the decrease in brain weight, cerebral ATP and choline content caused by deprivation of ovarian steroid hormones. This suggests th at pharmacological properties of SJT may play a role in improvement of redu ced cerebral energy production and cholinergic neurotransmitter synthesis c aused by deficiency of ovarian steroid hormones in the cerebroneuronal cell s of postmenopausal women. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All right s reserved.