Endometriosis is a common mysterious and fascinating gynaecological condition with diverse clinical manifestations, highly variable and unpredictable
clinical course with decreased quality of life. Clinically, Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (SMB, Chinese Danshen) has been applied to treat
endometriosis and get satisfactory results. The present study was aimed to explore the effects of the extracts of SMB (ESMB) on the serum levels of
cancer antigen 125 (CA-125) and the levels of
interleukin (IL)-13,
IL-18 and
tumor necrosis factor-alpha (
TNF-alpha) in the peritoneal fluids of rat
endometriosis models. Three extraction methods for SMB were compared, which are the sample extracted with conventional method, the sample extracted with espresso
coffee machine and the commercial condensed
powder of natural products. We determined
tanshinone IIA,
salvianolic acid B and
danshensu in the ESMB of different extraction methods. Forty female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into ESMB group,
Danazol (positive control) group, model group and the
sham-operation group (
Sham group). After all the treatment ended, the serum levels of CA125 and the levels of
IL-13,
IL-18 and
TNF-alpha in the peritoneal fluids of rat
endometriosis models were measured using
enzyme-linked immune-sorbent assay (ELISA) as directed by the manufacturer. The extraction efficiency of the ESMB samples extracted with
coffee machine ranged from 600µm to 710µm was the highest. The serum levels of CA-125 and the levels of
IL-18 and
TNF-alpha in the peritoneal fluids of ESMB group,
Danazol group and
Sham group were significantly lower than those of the Model group (P<0.05). The serum levels of CA-125 and the levels of
IL-18 and
TNF-alpha in the peritoneal fluids of
Danazol group and ESMB group were significantly higher than those of
Sham group, respectively (P<0.05), and no marked difference existed between them (P>0.05). The levels of
IL-13 in the peritoneal fluids of ESMB group,
Danazol group and
Sham group were significantly higher than those of the Model group (P<0.05). The levels of
IL-13 in the peritoneal fluids of ESMB group and
Danazol group were significantly lower than those of
Sham group (P<0.05), and there was no marked difference between ESMB group and
Sham group (P>0.05). ESMB shows promises in treating
endometriosis by markedly decreasing the serum levels of CA-125 and the levels of
IL-18 and
TNF-alpha in the peritoneal fluids and significantly increasing the levels of
IL-13 in the peritoneal fluids.