Objective To investigate the regulatory mechanism of Bushen Tiaochong Formula（Formula for reinforcing the kidney and regulating the Chong meridian）on paracrine pathway of follicular development.Methods A total of 60 SD rats were randomized into normal group

model group

Bushen Tiaochong Formula large-dose group

medium-dose group

small-dose group

and western medicine group

with ten in each.Except for the normal group

the other groups were treated with glycoside of tripterygium wilfordii（GTW）by gavage（50mg/kg）for 14 days to establish ovarian senilism models

and then they were administered the large-dose（1ml/100g）

medium-dose（0.5ml/100g）

and small-dose（0.25ml/100g）of Bushen Tiaochong Formula and Premarin tablet（0.075mg/kg）respectively for 35 days.Different levels of follicle and corpus luteum were counted.Changes of the ovary ultrastructure were observed

follicle stimulating hormone receptor（FSHR）and epidermal growth factor（EGF）were determined

and expression of connexin 43（Cx43）mRNA was detected.Results In the model group

different levels of follicle and corpus luteum were decreased significantly

ovary ultrastructure was damaged

and EGF and Cx43 mRNA expression were down-regulated significantly（P<0.05 or P<0.01）.In the medium-dose and small-dose groups of Bushen Tiaochong Formula and western medicine group

the large and medium sized follicles and the corpus luteum increased significantly

the ovary ultrastructure improved obviously

and the expression EGF and Cx43 mRNA were up-regulated significantly（P<0.05 or P<0.01）.Conclusion Bushen Tiaochong Formula is effective in relieving the GTW-induced follicular development disturbance

the action might be related to promoting the expression of EGF and Cx43mRNA through regulating the paracrine of follicular development.