Abstract: Objective To investigate the angiogenesis effects of Salvia miltiorrhiza in heterotopically grafted frozen-thawed mouse ovaries. Methods The ovaries thawed after cryopreservation were xenografted into the donated kidney capsules of 8- to 12-week adult male mice. The mice were divided into two groups, saline and Salvia miltiorrhiza groups, the mice either in the saline or in Salvia miltiorrhiza groups were administered i.p. daily either saline(0.5ml) or Salvia miltiorrhiza(0.5g)respectively, from the day prior transplantation. The two groups were sacrificed 1 day,2 days and 7 days after transplantation respectively, the grafts from thawed,1 day,2 days,7 days were removed for follicle counting, immunohistochemical studying and detecting of the mRNA expression of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF). Results The number of follicles and survival rates in grafts after transplantation of Salvia miltiorrhiza group were more than that of saline group (EM>P/EM><0.05); the expression of VEGF increased after transplantation,peaked on day 7,there was no difference between the two groups (EM>P/EM>>0.05); the apoptosis index of Salvia miltiorrhiza group was less than that of saline group (P<0.05), the mRNA expression of VEGF188 and VEGF164 of Salvia miltiorrhiza group was more than that of saline group on 48 hours after transplantation(EM>P/EM><0.05). Conclusion Salvia miltiorrhiza may provide benefits for folliculogensis and decreasing the apoptosis index of follicles. Nevertheless,a increase in the VEGF188 and VEGF164 isoform in the Salvia miltiorrhiza group may suggest the positive effect of exogenous Salvia miltiorrhiza therapy in the early stage of angiogenesis.

Key words: Salvia miltiorrhiza, Ovary, Transplantation, Angiogenesis, Vascular endothelial growth factor, Immunohistochemistry, RT-PCR, Mouse