Validation of the rat groups used in this study.

<p>A: Changes in body weight (BW) of the rats during the entire experimental period. BW of the young normal control rats (CON) increased sharply with an increase in time, that of the normally aging rats without CSS administration (ACON without CSS) increased gradually; that of the normally aging rats with CSS administration (ACON with CSS) was the same as that of the normally aging rats without CSS administration (<i>p</i>>0.05), that of the UCMS rats without CSS administration (UCMS without CSS) decreased sharply, and that of the UCMS rats with CSS administration (UCMS with CSS) decreased gradually. CSS administration decreased the weight loss in the UCMS rats (*<i>p</i><0.005). B: Duration of estrous cycle in the rats. Duration of estrous cycle was significantly shorter in the CON rats than in the ACON and UCMS rats, while no significant difference was found between ACON and UCMS rats and between rats who received CSS and those who did not (**<i>p</i><0.001).