中医“肾应冬”的实验研究

Study of the Traditional Chinese Medical Theory of the Kidney Responding to Winter in Rats

“肾应冬”是中医四时应五脏理论的一部分。采用大鼠松果体摘除模型 ,探索了冬至、夏至SD雄性大鼠血清睾酮 (T)、黄体生成素 (LH)及卵泡刺激素 (FSH)的变化规律。结果 :血清T夏高冬低 ,LH夏至有升高趋势、FSH季节变化不明显 ;松果体摘除组血清T、LH、FSH明显增高。结论 :“肾应冬”的内涵之一是肾的生殖功能在冬季减弱 ,在夏季增强 ;松果体可能是季节与生殖联系的中介。

The theory of the kidney responding to winter is part of the theory of the five zang organs responding to four seasons in traditional Chinese medicine. The changes in the levels of serum testosterone (T), luteotropic hormone (LH) and follicule stimulating hormone (FSH) were studied in the pineal body removed SD male rats at the Winter Solstice and the Summer Solstice. The results showed that in the normal rats, T level was high in summer and low in winter, LH level tended to increase at Summer Solstice and FSH level had no obvious seasonal change; but in the pineal body removed rats, the levels of all the three biochemical substances markedly increased at both Winter Solstice and Summer Solstice. It can be concluded that one of the meanings of the theory of the kidney responding to winter is that the reproductive function of the kidney decreased in winter and increased in summer, and the pineal body may be the medium by which the life reproduction establishes relationships with seasons.