Serotonergic Botanicals for Menopausal Treatment

描述（由申请人提供）：月经期妇女遭受广泛的症状，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一种手段而开发的;然而，最近的研究表明，HRT可导致子宫内膜癌和乳腺癌风险增加，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越来越大;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和高质量的研究。Cimicifuga racemosa（黑升麻），当归（当归）和缬草（缬草）都已被证明是有效的植物治疗缓解潮热和作为睡眠援助，分别在临床试验。Powell女士的主要目标是研究各种植物提取物和活性化合物，以评估它们的维生素E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。这项研究将涉及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的植物和膳食补充剂研究职业做好准备，并增加关于这一主题的科学文献。这项研究的核心假设是检查植物提取物，不仅显示出雌激素活性，而且植物提取物具有潜在的雌激素活性，用于缓解更年期症状，而不会导致有害的副作用，如乳腺癌或子宫内膜癌。具体目的是评估体外植物提取物的肾上腺素能活性，因为它涉及体温调节，情绪和昼夜节律的维持。评价和测定植物提取物的体外抗抑郁活性，然后通过生物测定指导分级分离植物膳食补充剂的活性成分。简而言之，天然植物疗法的进步可以证明是一种有价值的替代治疗形式，适用于那些担心激素替代疗法引起副作用的绝经期和绝经后妇女。发现一种有效的植物提取物，缓解任何更年期症状，将有可能改善所有受影响妇女的生活质量和心灵的平静。

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.