Serotonergic Botanicals for Menopausal Treatment

描述（由申请人提供）：绝经期妇女患有多种症状，如潮热、睡眠障碍、失眠、抑郁和情绪变化，这是体内雌激素水平降低的结果。这些症状会对他们的生活质量产生负面影响。激素替代疗法（HRT）最初是作为对抗这些影响的手段而开发的；然而，最近的研究表明，激素替代疗法可能会增加子宫内膜癌和乳腺癌的风险，从而促使妇女拒绝治疗或寻求其他治疗途径。因此，近年来，人们对植物性膳食补充剂的兴趣日益浓厚；然而，在大多数情况下，这些补充剂的功效缺乏科学证据，因此有必要为这些自然疗法提供大量高质量的研究。Cimicifuga racemosa（黑升麻），当归（冬葵）和缬草（缬草）都被证明是有效的植物治疗，分别在临床试验中缓解潮热和帮助睡眠。鲍威尔女士的主要目标是研究各种植物提取物和活性化合物，以评估它们的血清素能活性。培训将继续为申请人提供利用科学方法建立更强的解决问题和技术技能的机会。这项研究将产生体外细胞培养和酶动力学方法以及体内动物模型。这也将有助于鲍威尔女士为她未来从事植物和膳食补充剂研究的职业做好准备，并增加有关该主题的科学文献。这项研究的核心假设是检查植物提取物，不仅显示血清素能活性，而且具有潜在的血清素能活性的植物提取物，以缓解更年期症状，而不会导致有害的副作用，如乳腺癌或子宫内膜癌。具体目的是评估植物提取物在体外的血清素能活性，因为它与体温调节、情绪和昼夜节律的维持有关。对植物提取物体外抗抑郁活性进行评价和测定，然后采用生物测定法分离植物性膳食补充剂的有效成分。简而言之，天然植物疗法的进步可以证明是绝经期和绝经后妇女的一种有价值的替代治疗形式，她们担心激素替代疗法引起的副作用。一种有效的植物提取物的发现，可以缓解任何更年期症状，可能会提高生活质量，让所有受影响的女性安心。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Menopausal women suffer a wide range of symptoms, such as hot flashes, sleep disturbance, insomnia, depression and mood changes, a result of reduced levels of estrogenic hormones in the body. These symptoms lead to a negative effect on their quality of life. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was originally developed as a means to combat these effects; however, recent studies have shown that HRT can cause increased endometrial and breast cancer risks thereby motivating women to refuse treatment or seek alternative avenues of treatment. As a result, in recent years, a growing interest in botanical dietary supplements has occurred; however, in most cases the efficacy of these supplements lack scientific evidence thus resulting in a necessity to provide substantial and high quality research for these natural remedies. Cimicifuga racemosa (Black Cohosh), Angelica sinensis (Dong Quai), and Valerian officinalis (Valerian) have all proven effective botanical treatments for the relief of hot flashes and as a sleeping aid, respectively, in clinical trials. Ms. Powell's main goal will be to investigate a variety of plant extracts and active compounds to evaluate their serotonergic activity .The training will continue providing the applicant with opportunity to build stronger problem-solving and technical skills utilizing scientific methodology. This research will incur in vitro methods of cell culture and enzyme kinetics as well as in vivo animal models. This will also serve to prepare Ms. Powell for her future career in research focused on botanical and dietary supplements and add to the scientific literature on the topic. The core hypothesis of this study is to examine plant extracts that have not only shown serotonergic activity, but also plant extracts with potential serotonergic activity for the relief of menopausal symptoms without leading to detrimental side effects such as breast or endometrial cancer. The specific aims are to evaluate the serotonergic activity of plant extracts in vitro, as it relates to maintenance of thermoregulation, mood, and circadian rhythm. Evaluation and determination of antidepressant activity of plant extracts in vitro, followed by bioassay guided fractionation to isolate active components of the botanical dietary supplements. In short, advancements in natural plant remedies can prove a valuable alternative form of treatment for menopausal and postmenopausal women who are concerned about the side effects caused by hormone replacement therapy. The discovery of an effective botanical extract that relieves any menopausal symptoms will potentially improve quality of life and peace of mind for all affected women.