In order to investigate the effect of zedoary glucose injection on reproductive behavior in female mandarin voles(Microtus mandarinus),behavior focal sampling and immunohistochemistry methods were used to examine the relationships between behavior changes of female mandarin voles and estrogen receptor α immunoreactive neurons (ERα-IRs) in the ovary and in relevant brain regions after being fed with rabbit chow that was mixed with concentrations of 30 mg/kg zedoary glucose injection. Healthy adult female voles were divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group was fed with the mixed chow and carrot,and control group was fed with rabbit chow and carrot. Behaviors of the adult female voles were observed after being fed for 30 days. The numbers of litters of these adult female voles after mating with adult male voles was recorded,and meanwhile the number of ERα-IRs in the relevant brain regions was detected. The results showed that:during the period of intraspecies female-male interactions in a cage,the female voles in the experimental group displayed more escape behaviors,defensive behaviors,and hostile attacks than did those in the control group. In addition,the number of litters born to the female voles in the experimental group was significantly less than to the control group,and the incubation period of females in the experimental group was significantly prolonged. However,ERα-IR were not significantly different in the ovaries of the female voles in the experimental and control groups,and the number of ERα-IRs in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BST),the medial amygdaloid nucleus (ME),the medial preoptic area (MPO) and the ventromedial hypothalamic (VMH),in the experimental group were significantly less than those in the control group. There was no difference in the arcuate nucleus (ACR). In summary,zedoary glucose injection might affect reproductive behavior of female mandarin voles through changes in the number of the estrogen receptors α (ERα) in relevant brain regions.
