Effect of traditional Chinese medicine (Xiaochaihu Tang) on the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in rats with endometriosis

The aim of this study was to explore the effect of a traditional Chinese medicine (Xiaochaihu Tang, XCHT) on the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9 in rats with endometriosis (EMs). A total of 48 specific-pathogen-free (SPF) female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into control (n=8) and EMs (n=40) groups. The EMs model was established using a surgical procedure. At 21 days, the rats with EMs were screened and divided into four subgroups (n=8): the model control, low-dose (7.5 g/kg) XCHT-treated, high-dose (15 g/kg) XCHT-treated and gestrinone-treated (0.5 mg/kg) groups. Following 21 days of treatment, the rats were sacrificed. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blotting were used to examine the mRNA and protein levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in the endometrium. The expression levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were significantly increased in the rats with EMs compared with those in normal rats. Moreover, XCHT was able to significantly inhibit the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 compared with that in the model control group. In conclusion, XCHT was able to decrease the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in the ectopic endometrium. The present results may provide a potential theoretical basis for the therapy of EMs.