中医“肾应冬”生理机制与褪黑素关系的实验研究

Experimental Study on the Relationship Between the Physiological Mechanism of "the Kidney Relating to Winter" and the Level of Melatonin

“肾应冬”是中医“五脏应时”理论的一个组成部分。摘除松果体 ,探索SD大鼠松果体褪黑素(MT)、血清MT和下丘脑—垂体—睾丸轴MT冬夏变化规律。结果 :松果体MT冬高夏低 ,血清MT和下丘脑—垂体—睾丸轴MT也存在冬高夏低趋势。松果体摘除组血清MT和下丘脑—垂体—睾丸轴MT明显降低。结论 :①松果体、血清、下丘脑—垂体—睾丸轴的MT存在明显的季节变化节律。②中医“肾应冬”即肾所主的生殖功能在冬至减弱 ,在夏至增强的趋势与松果体、血清、下丘脑—垂体—睾丸轴MT的季节性变化对性腺轴功能的调节有关。③中医“肾应冬”生理机制与松果体、血清、下丘脑—垂体—睾丸轴MT变化的相关性 ,是通过对光敏感的松果体MT介导的 ,肾应冬生理机制具有分子生物学基础。

The regularity of the change in the levels of melatonin (MT) in the pineal body, serum and hypothalamus pituitary testicle axis in summer and winter seasons was investigated in rats in order to study 'the kidney relating to winter' theory. The results revealed that in the normal rats, the level of melatonin in the pineal body increased in winter and decreased in summer, and that in the serum and hypothalamus pituitary testicle axis tended upwards in winter and downwards in summer correspondingly; but in the pineal body removed rats, the levels of melatonin in the serum and hypothalamus pituitary testicle axis decreased significantly in both seasons. Three conclusive points can be drawn from the results: ① there is a marked seasonal change in the levesl of melatonin in the pineal body, serum and hypothalamus pituitary testicle axis; ② that the reproduction function has a tendency to be weak in the Winter Solstice and to be strong in the Summer Solstice (according to 'the kidney relating to winter' theory) is related to the regulating effects on the function of the sexual gland axis of the seasonal change in the levels of melatonin in the pineal body, serum and hypothalamus pituitary testicle axis; ③ that the correlation between the physiological mechanism of 'the kidney relating to winter' and the seasonal change in the levels of melatonin in the pineal body, serum and hypothalamus pituitary testicle axis is introduced by the photosensitive melatonin in the pineal body; and the physiological mechanism of 'the kidney relating to winter' has a molecular biological basis.