The uterine tetanic contraction and uterine artery blood flow reduction are possible reasons for primary dysmenorrhea (PD). In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the uterine relaxant effect and the influence on uterine artery blood velocity of Ge-Gen Decoction (GGD), a well-known Chinese herbal formula. In female ICR mice, uterine contraction was induced by oxytocin exposure following estradiol benzoate pretreatment, and the uterine artery blood velocity was detected by Doppler ultrasound. Histopathological examination of the uterine tissue samples were performed by H&E staining. Ex vivo studies demonstrated that oxytocin, posterior pituitary, or acetylcholine induced contractions in isolated mouse uterus. GGD inhibited both spontaneous and stimulated contractions. In vivo study demonstrated that GGD significantly reduced oxytocin-induced writhing responses with a maximal inhibition of 87%. Further study demonstrated that GGD normalized oxytocin-induced abnormalities of prostaglandins F2 alpha (PGF2α) and Ca(2+) in mice. In addition, injection of oxytocin induced a decrease in uterine artery blood flow velocity. Pretreatment with GGD reversed the oxytocin response on blood flow velocity. Histopathological examination showed pretreatment with GGD alleviated inflammation and edema in the uterus when compared with the model group. Both ex vivo and in vivo results indicated that GGD possessed a significant spasmolytic effect on uterine tetanic contraction as well as improvement on uterine artery blood velocity which may involve PGF2α and Ca(2+) signaling, suggesting that GGD may have a clinic potential in PD therapy.
Animals ; Blood Flow Velocity ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Dysmenorrhea ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Female ; Humans ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Oxytocin ; adverse effects ; Uterine Contraction ; drug effects ; Uterus ; blood supply ; drug effects ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo observe and compare the effects of 17beta-estradiol (EST) on the phasic and tonic contractile activities of the uterine smooth muscles of SD rats in vitro.

METHODSDifferent concentrations of 17beta-estradiol were added into the perfusion muscular sockets containing uterine smooth muscles of SD rats, and the activities of muscle contraction were recorded at the same time.

RESULTS17beta-estradiol had obvious depression effects on spontaneous rhythmic contraction of the uterine smooth muscles in a concentration-dependent manner, it could considerably decrease muscular tension, the mean amplitudes and frequencies of contractile waves (P < 0.01); it could also suppress the uterine contraction stimulated by KCl, CaCl2 or prostaglandin F2alpha (PGF2alpha). Based on the contraction of uterine smooth muscle stimulated by KCl, IC50 was 7.278 micromol/L and pD2 was -0.862 when calculated by linear regression method. 17beta-estradiol could also inhibit the maximal CaC12 contraction of uterine smooth muscle in the Ca2+ free Krebs solution, which the ECQ was 1.422 x 10(-3) mol/L, pD2 was 2.847 (control), but the E50 was 3.028 x 10(-3) mol/L, p2 was 2.519 (added with EST) when calculated by linear regression method.

CONCLUSIONThe depression effects of 17beta-estradiol on the spontaneous rhythmic contraction and activated contraction of the uterine smooth muscles of SD rats could be mediated through the blockage of C2+ influx through potential-dependent Ca2+ channels of plasma membrane.

Animals ; Estradiol ; pharmacology ; Female ; Muscle, Smooth ; drug effects ; Myometrium ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Uterine Contraction ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the bio-activity of Qinlian Siwu decoction on in vitro uterus contraction model and exploit the relationship between chemical components and the bio-activity.

METHODThe samples were prepared by macroporous adsorptive resins. The in vitro uterus contraction model was adopted to appraise the bio-activities of Qinlian Siwu decoction and its different separated fractions. HPLC-DAD- ESI -MS method was applied to analyze and identify the components in the fraction QL-3.

RESULTIt was found that five active fractions (QL-1, QL-3, QL-5, QL-7 and QL-11) were separated from Qinlian Siwu decoction, mainly contributed to the observed antagonismto the contraction of the mouse uterus. 28 compounds in the fraction QL-3 were identified as malic acid, gallic acid, catalpol, protocatechuic acid, aucubin, chuanxiongzine hydrochloridum, vanillic acid, caffeic acid, paeoniflorin, berberastine, albiflorin, tetrahydropalmatine, coptisine, jatrorrhizine, leonuride, worenine, ferulic acid, palmatine, berberine, scutellarin, baicalin-7-0-glucoside, baicalin, rehmannioside C, wogonoside, chrysin-7-glucuronide, ttetuin, baicalein, wogonin and oroxylin-A.

CONCLUSIONIn vitro inhibiting the contraction of the isolated mouse uterine of Qinlian Siwu decoction was mainly attributed to the fraction QL-1 and QL-3. The active fractions (QL-5, QL-7 and QL-11) were obtained from QL-3 on the macroporous adsorptive resins by the gradient elution using ethanol.

Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Female ; Mass Spectrometry ; Mice ; Muscle, Smooth ; drug effects ; physiology ; Statistics as Topic ; methods ; Uterine Contraction ; drug effects ; Uterus ; drug effects ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo observe effects of Shujing Ketong soft capsules (SJKTSC) on activities of the uterine of the rat in vitro and in vivo.

METHODThe isolated rat uterine were mounted in the improved Genell solution with a final content of 0. 96, 1.92, 3.84 microg x g(-1) of SJKTSC at 37 degrees C; and 9. 6, 19. 2, 38.4 mg x kg(-1) of SJKTSC and 2 g x kg(-1) of Tongjingbao granules were given to the rat through the duodenum respectively. Their effects on frequency, amplitude and activity of contraction of rat uterus in vitro and in vivo were investigated.

RESULTSJKTSC could significantly inhibit the frequency, amplitude and activity of contraction of the normal rat uterus in vitro and decrease the oxytocin-induced increase of contraction of the rat uterus in vitro; lowered the frequency, amplitude and activity of the oxytocin-induced contraction of the rat uterus in vivo and inhibit the oxytocin-induced the strengthening of contraction of the rat uterus in vivo.

CONCLUSIONShujing Ketong soft capsules maybe used for treatment of dysmenorrhea induced by spasm of uterine smooth muscle.

Animals ; Capsules ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Dysmenorrhea ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Female ; In Vitro Techniques ; Muscle, Smooth ; drug effects ; physiology ; Oxytocin ; adverse effects ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Time Factors ; Uterine Contraction ; drug effects ; Uterus ; drug effects ; physiology

Progresses in the studies on chemical constituents and bioactivities of Chloranthus S. were systemically reviewed in this article. The whole plants of most species in Chloranthus have long been used as folk medicine in China for detumescence, treating on snake bite and wound. 68 compounds obtained from the plants in Chloranthus fall into the following compound classes: terpenoids, coumarins, amides, organic acids and sterols. Fifty one sesquiterpenes were got. The results of studies on their bioactivities show that most of the plants in this genus have antibacterial and antitumor activities. Further phytochemical and biological studies on the species in Chloranthus are needed for better medicinal utilization.
Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Antineoplastic Agents ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Bacteria ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Magnoliopsida ; chemistry ; classification ; Uterine Contraction ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical efficacy of estrogen in preventing postpartum hemorrhage and shortening the birth process during induced abortion.

METHODSTotally 320 puerperants for termination of pregnancy for medical reasons were randomly assigned into 2 groups, the estrogen group (n=175) and the control group (n=145), and the former were given oral estrostilben 3 mg thrice a day from the day before acrinol injection to the end of delivery. The amount of blood loss 2 h after delivery, cases of postpartum hemorrhage, and the duration of total birth process were recorded.

RESULTSSignificant differences were noted in blood loss 2 h after delivery between estrodiol and control groups (123.3-/+81.8 vs 206.3-/+114.4 ml). Two cases of postpartum hemorrhage were found in estrogen group and 10 in control group. The duration from acrinol injection to delivery was similar between the two groups (31-/+11 vs 33-/+12 h), but the former had significant shorter duration from contraction onset to delivery than the latter (6.03-/+3.19 vs 9.7-/+5.9 h). No side-effects were found in either group.

CONCLUSIONEstrogen given before delivery can be effective in stimulating uterine contraction for preventing postpartum hemorrhage and shortening the birth process in women undergoing induced abortion.

Abortion, Induced ; adverse effects ; Adult ; Estrogens ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Labor Onset ; drug effects ; Postpartum Hemorrhage ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Pregnancy ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome ; Uterine Contraction ; drug effects

OBJECTIVE: To screen the differentially expressed gene profile from the smooth muscles in the fundus uterus at the active stage of labor, and to provide candidate genes for picking out the drug targets related to uterine contraction. METHODS: Differentially expressed genes of uterine smooth muscles in the corpus from pro and post spontaneous parturition and those induced by oxytocin,as well as those from the corpus and the lower portion spontaneous parturition,were scanned respectively by human full-length genetic cDNA microarray with 8064 probe sets. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR was applied to testify the expression of voltage dependent calcium channel-L subtype (CACNA). The differentially expressed genes in the structure and function of the drug targets were picked out by bio-informatics to serve as candidate drug targets related to uterine contraction. RESULTS: The expressions of 29 genes were upregulated in fundus smooth muscles from the pro and post natural parturition, the pro and post inductive parturition of oxytocin, and the natural parturition. The expression of CACNA gene in RT-PCR was in accordance with that in the microarray. Among the 29 genes, neuromedin B receptor (NMBR) gene and neuropeptide Y (NPY) gene were the genes which not only had the targets of uterine contracted medicine, but also could contract the uterine. The differential expression ratios of NMBR in the above 3 types of uterine myometrium were 6.9,11.3, and 9.0, respectively while those of NPY were 6.0,29.8, and 2.9 respectively. CONCLUSION NMBR, whose expression in the uterine smooth muscles is always up-regulated at different parturition conditions, is likely to be an ideal candidate target of uterotonic drugs.
Calcium Channels ; genetics ; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical ; Female ; Gene Expression ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Humans ; Myometrium ; drug effects ; Neuropeptide Y ; genetics ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Pregnancy ; Receptors, Bombesin ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Uterine Contraction ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of different concentration extract from Shenghua decoction on contractile activity of the uterine smooth muscle isolated from normal, estrogen-treated and postpartum mice.

METHODMedlab/4 s vital signal recorder was used to measure the effects of extract from Shenghua decoction (3-12 mg x mL(-1)) on contractile amplitude and frequency of the isolated uterus from normal, estrogen-treated and postpartum mice.

RESULTShenghua decoction extract (3-12 mg x mL(-1)) significantly decreased the contractile activity of the mouse isolated uterus in normal non-pregnancy and postpartum, but significantly increased that of the mouse isolated uterus treated with estrogen, and didn't show significant concentration-response relationship.

CONCLUSIONThe effects of Shenghua decoction extract on contractile activity of mouse-isolated uterus treated with estrogen cannot represent the pharmacological effects on that of in normal non-pregnancy and postpartum uterus.

Angelica sinensis ; chemistry ; Animals ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Estrogens ; pharmacology ; Female ; In Vitro Techniques ; Mice ; Muscle, Smooth ; drug effects ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Postpartum Period ; Uterine Contraction ; drug effects ; Uterus ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo observe the characteristics of uterine contraction and stages of labor during delivery under continuous epidural block anesthesia.

METHODSTotaling 213 parturients in spontaneous labor under epidural block anesthesia with dilated cervical orifice of 3 cm were monitored for the contraction cycle, duration, intensity and curve types of uterine contraction, and recordings were made for 30 min before and 30, 60 and 120 min after the anesthesia took effect, respectively. The duration of the active phase in the first, second and third stages of labor was compared between 421 cases with anesthesia and 237 without anesthesia.

RESULTSSignificant difference was noted in the objective indexes of uterine contraction recorded after anesthesia had taken effect (P<0.05) in comparison with those before anesthesia, suggesting significantly attenuated uterine contraction after anesthesia, whereas these indexes underwent no significant further variation as compared between different time points after anesthesia (P>0.05). The average active phase in the first stage was significantly shorter in anesthesia group than that in the control group (P<0.05), but the average duration of the second and third stages of labor differed little between the two groups with appropriate use of oxytocin under strict monitoring (P>0.05). The rates of obstetric forceps utilization and use of oxytocin were higher in anesthesia group than in the control group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONEpidural block anesthesia produces certain influences on uterine contraction and stages of labor during delivery, for which appropriate treatment measures may prove beneficial.

Adult ; Anesthesia, Epidural ; methods ; Anesthesia, Obstetrical ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Labor, Obstetric ; physiology ; Pregnancy ; Time Factors ; Uterine Contraction ; drug effects ; Uterus ; drug effects ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of levobupivacaine and bupivacaine on the contractility of isolated uterine muscle strips from pregnant and non-pregnant female rats.

METHODSFull-thick myometrial strips were prepared from 18- to 21-day pregnant (n=8) and non-pregnant rats (n=7). After contractions became regular, strips were exposed to cumulative concentrations of the two drugs from 10(-8) to 10(-4) mol/L, amplitude and frequency of the uterine contraction was recorded.

RESULTSTwo local anesthetics caused a concentration dependent inhibition on contractility of myometrial strips from pregnant and non-pregnant rats. In the myometrium from non-pregnant rats, -logIC(50) of levobupivacaine and bupivacaine were 4.85 and 4.25 respectively. In the myometrium from pregnant rats, similar concentrations of levobupivacaine and bupivacaine were observed, -logIC(50) were 2.7 and 2.9 respectively. Levobupivacaine produced an increase in amplitude of contractions, while bupivacaine showed an increased trend in frequency.

CONCLUSIONThese results demonstrate that levobupivacaine and bupivacaine may inhibit myometrium contractility. The inhibitory effect of levobupivacaine or bupivacaine is not enhanced by gestation in rat. Levobupivacaine may have more positive influence than bupivacaine in pregnant myometrium.

Anesthetics, Local ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Bupivacaine ; analogs & derivatives ; blood ; pharmacology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Female ; In Vitro Techniques ; Pregnancy ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Uterine Contraction ; drug effects