This paper investigated the inhibitory effect of carbonized Scutellariae Radix(Cb-SR) on pyroptosis in endometrial epithelial cells of mice with endometritis and its correlation with the IKBKE/NLRP3 signaling axis. Mice model of endometritis was established by using an intrauterine injection of 10 μL polysaccharides(LPS, 5 mg·mL~(-1)), and the mice were randomly divided into model group(LPS), low-dose group of Cb-SR(L-Cb-SR, 0.55 g·kg~(-1)), medium-dose group of Cb-SR(M-Cb-SR, 1.10 g·kg~(-1)), high-dose group of Cb-SR(H-Cb-SR, 2.20 g·kg~(-1)), crude Scutellariae Radix group(Cr-SR, 1.63 g·kg~(-1)), and Fuke Qianjin Capsule group(FQC, 0.30 g·kg~(-1)), with 10 mice in each group. Ten healthy female mice were selected and injected with PBS of equal volume into the bilateral uterus, and they were set as the sham group. The mice in the drug treatment groups were given the corresponding doses of Cb-SR, Cr-SR, FQC, or physiological saline of equal volume by gavage twice a day for seven days. Thirty minutes after the last administration, each mouse was euthanized by cervical dislocation. Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining and transmission electron microscopy were applied to observe the histopathological morphology of the uterine tissue. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of CD38 and CD138. Myeloperoxidase(MPO) values in neutrophils were measured by the kit; Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was used to measure the secretion of interleukin-18(IL-18), interleukin-1β(IL-1β), and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α). Immunofluorescence and Western blot were used to analyze the expression of the proteins related to the IKBKE/NLRP3 signaling axis. Mouse endometrial epithelial cells(MEECs) were separated and purified from the uterine tissue of pregnant female mice through in vitro experiments and injured by LPS for 24 h, and then they were cultured with Cb-SR-containing serum. The anti-endometritis effect of Cb-SR was investigated by CCK-8 assay, scanning electron microscopy, and Western blot. The results showed that Cb-SR significantly reduced MPO values, attenuated uterine tissue damage, inhibited the expression of CD38 and CD138, decreased the levels of IL-1β, IL-18, and TNF-α, and inhibited the expression of proteins associated with IKBKE/NLRP3 signaling axis in mice with endometritis. In addition, Cb-SR-containing serum reduced swelling of MEECs organelles induced by LPS, decreased the expression of inflammatory factors, and suppressed the expression of IKBKE/NLRP3 signaling axis-related proteins. These results suggest that Cb-SR can inhibit endometrial epithelial cell pyroptosis in endometritis by suppressing the IKBKE/NLRP3 signaling axis.
Animals ; Female ; Mice ; Pyroptosis/drug effects* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/genetics* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Endometritis/chemically induced* ; Lipopolysaccharides/adverse effects* ; Scutellaria baicalensis/chemistry* ; Humans ; Epithelial Cells/drug effects*

Tubal ciliary movement is one of the essential transport mechanisms for female fertility, playing a key role in facilitating oocyte pickup and transporting the fertilized ovum. This movement is mediated by multiciliated cells and regulated by specific proteins and hormones that modulate ciliary number, length, polarity, beat frequency, and amplitude to ensure proper function. Genetic mutations, inflammatory stimuli, and hormonal fluctuations can impair ciliary activity or induce ciliary apoptosis, leading to ciliary dysfunction. Disorders of tubal ciliary movement are frequently observed in primary ciliary dyskinesia, pelvic inflammatory disease, polycystic ovary syndrome, and endometriosis, conditions commonly associated with female infertility. These disorders manifest as structural abnormalities of cilia, disrupted polarity, shortened ciliary length, reduced ciliary count, and decreased beat frequency and amplitude. Understanding the role of tubal ciliary movement in female infertility-related diseases, through immunohistochemistry and ultrastructural analysis, helps clarify underlying infertility mechanisms. Identifying abnormal inflammatory factors, hormonal environments, and gene expression, combined with advanced techniques for measuring ciliary protein and beat frequency, may offer novel clinical targets for early prevention and treatment of female infertility.
Humans ; Female ; Infertility, Female/etiology* ; Cilia/physiology* ; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome/physiopathology* ; Fallopian Tubes/physiopathology* ; Endometriosis/complications* ; Pelvic Inflammatory Disease/complications*

Aims: This study was designed to evaluate awareness and knowledge of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), its risk factors and diagnostic procedures among female undergraduates in tertiary institutions in Rivers State, Nigeria. Methodology and results: A questionnaire-based survey design was conducted among 325 undergraduate students. Completed questionnaires were retrieved immediately. Descriptive and inferential (chi-square test) statistical tools were used for data analysis. Out of the 325 respondents, 186(57.2%) had heard of PID, 162(49.8%) did not know the possible risk factors of PID, 161(49.5%) perceived their awareness level of PID to be poor, while 30(9.2%) had good awareness level of PID. The majority 185(56.9%) of the respondents, do not know the mode of transmission of PID. There was a statistically significant relationship between the student’s age and the level of awareness statement at (p<0.05). On the student’s knowledge, only the statement: Do you know PID could be symptomless, showed a statistically significant relationship with the student’s course of study (χ2=12.815, p=0.00). Conclusion, significance and impact of study Most respondents have heard of PID via social media and seminars and have even seen those who had the disease. They still claim that their awareness level was poor since they do not know the mode of transmission and ill effects of PID, and so they cannot be protected against the disease. A sensitization campaign on risk factors, symptoms and mode of spread of the disease has to be carried out in the institutions to save the students at high risk of the infection.
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease ; Student Health Services

Female ; Humans ; Pelvic Inflammatory Disease/diagnosis* ; Intrauterine Devices

OBJECTIVE: To compare the curative effect of refined moxibustion, traditional moxa box moxibustion and Chinese patent medicine on the sequelae of pelvic inflammatory disease with METHODS: A total of 150 patients with sequelae of pelvic inflammatory disease with RESULTS: After treatment, the TCM symptoms, body signs and comprehensive scores of each group were lower than those before treatment ( CONCLUSION Compared with traditional moxa box moxibustion and Chinese patent medicine treatment, refined moxibustion can better improve the symptoms, body signs and quality of life in patients with the sequelae of pelvic inflammatory disease of
Acupuncture Points ; Female ; Humans ; Moxibustion ; Pelvic Inflammatory Disease/therapy* ; Qi ; Quality of Life

Pelvic inflammatory disease(PID) has become one of the leading causes of female infertility, with an increasing incidence in recent years. Modern medicine believes that risk factors of PID will affect the formation of eggs and embryo implantation, especially on the encounter of gametes, fertilization, and transport of fertilized eggs to the uterine cavity. Therapies for infertility due to PID include medication, sonographic hydrotubation, surgery, and assisted reproductive technology. Professor Ma Kun believes that the disease is located in the uterus with appendages with the main pathogenesis of kidney deficiency and blood stasis. Blood stasis is the pathological basis, and kidney deficiency is the fundamental pathogenesis, which exhibits deficiency-excess in complexity. Kidney deficiency will cause blood stasis over time, while blood stasis will aggravate kidney deficiency in turn, making PID-induced infertility refractory. In clinical practice, basic therapies follow the principles of kidney-tonifying and blood-activating, removing blood stasis, dredging collaterals, and coordinating thoroughfare and conception vessels. The oral administration of Chinese medicine combined with enema, external application, and external washing displays better efficacy in improving the pelvic microenvironment and increasing the pregnancy rate and pregnancy success rate in the treatment of PID-induced infertility.
Female ; Humans ; Infertility, Female/etiology* ; Kidney ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Pelvic Inflammatory Disease/drug therapy* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Rate

OBJECTIVE: To compare the therapeutic effect between acupuncture combined with ibuprofen sustained-release capsule and simple ibuprofen sustained-release capsule on chronic pelvic pain (CPP) after pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). METHODS: A total of 144 patients were randomized into an observation group (72 cases, 10 cases dropped off) and a control group (72 cases, 9 cases dropped off). Ibuprofen sustained-release capsule was given orally in the control group, one capsule a time. On the basis of the treatment in the control group, acupuncture was applied at Guanyuan (CV 4), Shuidao (ST 28), Guilai (ST 29), Shenshu (BL 23) and Ciliao (BL 32), and Shuidao (ST 28), Guilai (ST 29), Shenshu (BL 23) and Ciliao (BL 32) were connected to electroacupuncture in the observation group. The treatment was given 10 days before menstruation, once a day for 3 menstrual cycles in both groups, and the follow-up was adopted 3 menstrual cycles after treatment. The visual analogue scale (VAS) scores of hypogastrium and lumbosacral region before treatment, after treatment, and at the follow-up, the score of local signs and the score of World Health Organization quality of life questionnaire-brief version (WHOQOL-BREF) before and after treatment were observed in the both groups. RESULTS: After treatment and at the follow-up, the VAS scores of hypogastrium and lumbosacral region were decreased compared before treatment in both groups ( CONCLUSION Acupuncture combined with ibuprofen sustained-release capsule can effectively improve the symptoms, signs and quality of life in patients with CPP after PID, the therapeutic effect is superior to simple ibuprofen sustained-release capsule.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Pelvic Inflammatory Disease/etiology* ; Pelvic Pain/etiology* ; Quality of Life ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on chronic pelvic pain in patients with sequelae of pelvic inflammatory disease. METHODS: A total of 144 patients with chronic pelvic pain were randomly divided into an observation group (72 cases, 10 cases dropped off) and a control group (72 cases, 9 cases dropped off). The patients in the control group were treated with ibuprofen sustained-release capsules 10 days before menstruation, 0.3 g each time, once a day. On the basis of the treatment of the control group, the patients in the observation group were treated with EA at Guanyuan (CV 4), Shuidao (ST 28), Guilai (ST 29), Shenshu (BL 23) and Ciliao (BL 32), disperse-dense wave, 2 Hz/15 Hz of frequency, once a day. The patients in both groups were treated for 10 days per menstrual cycle for 3 menstrual cycles. The visual analogue scale (VAS) scores of lower abdomen and lumbosacral area, local sign score, quality of life scale score and pain disappearance rate were compared between the two groups before and after treatment. RESULTS: The VAS scores of lower abdomen and lumbosacral area as well as each item score and total score of local signs in the observation group after treatment were significantly lower than those before treatment and those in the control group ( CONCLUSION EA can relieve the pain symptoms in patients with chronic pelvic pain and improve their quality of life.
Acupuncture Points ; Analgesics ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Humans ; Pelvic Inflammatory Disease/therapy* ; Pelvic Pain/therapy* ; Quality of Life

Background: Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is an acute infection of the upper female genital tract, which may involve the uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries. Tubo-ovarian abscess (TOA) is a complication of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease. Different methods are being utilized to predict the failure of medical management of TOA. Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been proposed as a significant marker for diagnosis in PID. Objective: To compare NLR and sonographic TOA volume between patients who responded to medical management versus patients with failed medical management, and who eventually underwent surgery. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study done by reviewing the hospital records of patients admitted for TOA in a tertiary hospital, from 2014 to 2018. Demographic details of the patients, computed NLR values and TOA volumes were gathered and analyzed. Results: There was no statistical difference between the group who responded to treatment (medical group) versus the group of patients with failed medical management (surgical group) in terms of age, gravidity, parity and mean volume of the TOA. There was a statistically significant difference between the mean NLR of the two treatment groups. Conclusion Patients diagnosed with TOA, and with failed medical management have significantly higher levels of NLR compared with patients who responded to medical treatment. This positive association can be explored in future researches to validate NLR as a predictor of medical treatment failure for patients with TOA. NLR can also be potentially utilized as novel marker to indicate need for earlier surgical management to decrease the patient’s risk for sepsis.
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

Tubo-ovarian abscess in pregnancy is extremely rare. Its occurrence increases the maternal and fetal morbidities and mortalities. The clinical presentation is variable ranging from asymptomatic abscess to diffuse peritonitis. In this report, we present a rare case of tubo-ovarian abscess complicating a pregnancy on its 6 weeks and 5 days age of gestation. The patient presented with frank peritonitis. Internal examination revealed uterine, adnexal and cervical tenderness with no masses palpated. A laparotomy was done and intra-operative findings showed an 8 x 4 cm-sized, right, ruptured tubo-ovarian abscess with purulent contamination of the whole pelvic cavity. Right salpingooophorectomy was performed and parenteral antibiotics were given. The pregnancy was eventually carried to term and the patient delivered by repeat low segment cesarean section without fetal and maternal complications.
Pregnancy ; Female ; Abscess ; Oophoritis ; Salpingitis ; Abdominal Abscess