Evidence that Toki-shakuyaku-san and its ingredients enhance the secretionof a cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant (CINC/gro) in the ovulatory process

We investigated the effects of Toki-shakuyaku-san and its crude ingredients in relation to the secretion of a cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattract ant, CINC/gro, interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) and tumor necrosis factor-alp ha (TNF alpha) in the ovulatory process. Toki-shakuyaku-san significantly ( p < 0.01) stimulated the secretion of 17<beta>-estradiol but did not stimul ate the secretion of progesterone in cultured whole ovarian dispersates. To ki-shakuyaku-san enhanced the secretion of CINC/gro in a dose-dependent man ner and the production of CINC/gro at concentrations of 10 and 100 mug/ml o f Toki-shakuyaku-san increased significantly (p < 0.01). Toki-shakuyaku-san also enhanced secretions of both IL-1<beta> and TNF alpha, which are known to stimulate the secretion of CINC/gro in the ovulatory process. The produ ction of TNF alpha increased significantly (p < 0.05) with 10 and 100 <mu>g /ml of Toki-shakuyaku-san. Atractylodis Lanceae Rhizona, Cnidii Rhizoma, An gelicae Radix, Paeoniae Radix and Alismatis Rhizoma, which are crude ingred ients of Toki-shakuyaku-san, significantly (p < 0.01) enhanced the secretio n of CINC/gro at concentrations of 100 <mu>g/ml. The results of this study show that Toki-shakuyaku-san can stimulate the secretion of 17 beta -estrad iol and stimulate the ovulatory process by stimulating the production of CI NC/gro, IL-1 beta and TNF alpha in vitro. As a treatment for ovulatory diso rders, Toki-shakuyaku-san may have stimulatory effects on both steroidogene sis and the ovulatory process. (C) 2000 Prous Science. All rights reserved.