Abstract: 【Objective】 The objective of this study was to investigate the regulatory effect of rutin in promoting mammary gland develop’s estrogen-like effect by examining the effects of ovariectomized virgin rats levels of endocrine hormones, the expression of receptor and histomorphology of development.【Method】Thirty-two ovariectomized virgin rats were randomly assigned to four treatments: sham, gastric infusion of 2 ml normal saline per mouse and per day; Ovx, gastric infusion of 2 ml normal saline per mouse and per day; Ovx＋Rut, gastric infusion of 60 mg rutin•kg-1BW per day; Ovx＋Est, intramuscular injection of 60 µg estradiol•kg-1BW weekly. The trial lasted two weeks. The samples of blood, gland tissues were collected respectively. The level of estrogen (E2), prolactin (PRL) and growth hormone (GH) in plasma and gland tissues were dected by the use of Radioimmunoassy (RIA) technology; and the expression of estrogen receptor (ER), prolactin receptor (PRLR) and growth hormone receptor (GHR) in gland tissues were detected by the use of RT-PCR technology. Histomorphology of development about mammary gland were observed.【Result】The results showed that, the level of E2 in plasma and gland tissues was Ovx＋Rut and Ovx＋Est were highter than Ovx (P＜0.05),and the difference between two groups was not significant (P> 0.05), Ovx＋Rut was lower than Sham (P＜0.05), Ovx＋Est and Sham have no distinct (P＞0.05). The level of E2 in gland tissues showed the same regularity. The order of the PRL in plasma and gland tissues was Ovx＜Ovx＋Rut＜Ovx＋Est＜Sham (P＜0.05). The levels of GH in plasma peresents Ovx, Ovx＋Rut, Ovx＋Est, Sham increased in turn (P＜0.05). The GH In gland tissues, the levels of GH in Ovx was lower than in Ovx＋Rut and Ovx＋Est (P＜0.05),and Ovx＋Rut was lower than Sham(P＜0.05). The difference between Ovx＋Rut and Ovx＋Est was not distinct(P＞0.05), Ovx＋Est and Sham’s differences were not distinct either (P＞0.05). The expression of ER, PRLR, GHR in gland tissues in Ovx, Ovx＋Rut, Ovx＋Est and Sham increase in turn (P＜0.05), and showed the same trend. The observation of histomorphology showed that the development of gland tissue in Ovx＋Rut, Ovx＋Est and Sham was better than in Ovx (P＜0.05).【Conclusion】Rutin could improve the level of E2 in ovariectomized virgin rats, increase pituitary PRL and GH release, up-regulated the expression level of ER, PRLE and GHR .

Key words: rutin, rats, mammary gland development, hormone, receptor