A special
herbal tea has been used to treat
clomiphene-resistant anovulatory disease and
obesity effectively, especially in
polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) cases with
hyperinsulinemia. The effect of the
herbal tea on
obesity and
anovulation was investigated in
androgen-sterilized rats (ASR). The ASR model was established by
subcutaneous injection of 1.25 mg
testosterone propionate to Sprague-Dawley female rats at the age of 9 days. Rats were sacrificed around 112 days of age. ASR manifested with PCO,
anovulation, high food intake, elevated
body weight, and
obesity. Immunocytochemistry demonstrated that
estrogen receptors (ER) were predominantly distributed in the cytoplasm of
neuropeptide Y (NPY)-containing neurons in the preoptic area (POA), and the coexpression was also found in the nuclei and fibers of NPY-synthesizing neurons in the arcuate nucleus (
ARC). Compared with that in normal control rats, NPY expression was increased, the numbers of ER in hypothalamic
ARC-median eminence (ME) decreased,
gonadotropin-releasing hormone (
GnRH) levels in ME was decreased, serum
estrogen (E2) and
leptin were elevated, and follicular stimulating
hormone (FSH) and
luteinizing hormone (LH) levels were reduced significantly in ASR. Significantly negative correlations between NPY and ER or
GnRH, and between
leptin and FSH or LH were observed. A positive correlation existed between serum
leptin and
body weight. These metabolic-endocrine changes in ASR were normalized after feeding the
herbal tea. Both
obesity and hypogonadotropin were expressed in ASR. The abnormal ovarian
hormone milieu (elevated E2 levels) may have enhanced NPY expression and resulted in less
GnRH and
gonadotropin secretion. The
herbal tea reduced
body weight and induced ovulation in ASR.