RESUMO
The Chinese herbal medicine Huang Qin (Radix Scutellariae) had been used for restless fetus for hundreds of years in China, however, little attention had been given to the components of the herb, specifically its ability to exert abortion-preventing effects at the maternal fatal interface. The present study was carried out to investigate the protective effects of baicalin and the possible mechanisms on pregnancies. Baicalin (at 10, 20, and 50 mg/kg BW respectively) was gavaged to bromocriptine-treated mice from gestation day (GD) 1 through GD 7. Abortion rates were calculated and the changes of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), interleukin-10 (IL-10) and progesterone were assayed on different gestation days. Results showed that the embryonic death rates were significantly decreased in groups supplemented with 20 or 50 mg/kg BW of baicalin, accompanied with reduced IFN-gamma and enhanced progesterone contents. Moreover, the highest levels of IFN-gamma appeared on GD 5 both in the control and in baicalin treated groups. It is concluded that baicalin can exert an anti-abortive effect by cutting down the production of IFN-gamma and elevating the levels of progesterone in a dose dependent manner and IFN-gamma is involved in an inflammatory reaction which is beneficial for a successful implantation.
Assuntos
Aborto Espontâneo/prevenção & controle , Anti-Inflamatórios/uso terapêutico , Medicamentos de Ervas Chinesas/uso terapêutico , Flavonoides/uso terapêutico , Interferon gama/metabolismo , Progesterona/sangue , Scutellaria , Aborto Espontâneo/induzido quimicamente , Animais , Anti-Inflamatórios/farmacologia , Bromocriptina/efeitos adversos , Medicamentos de Ervas Chinesas/farmacologia , Feminino , Flavonoides/farmacologia , Antagonistas de Hormônios/efeitos adversos , Interleucina-10/metabolismo , Camundongos , Fitoterapia , Raízes de Plantas , Gravidez/metabolismo , Progesterona/metabolismo , Útero/efeitos dos fármacosRESUMO
In the present study, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was injected i.v. via the tail vein (0.1 microg per mouse) to induce abortion (embryo resorption) in Kunming mice. The interleukin 10 (IL-10) contents in the uterus were assayed by ELISA. The results revealed that the IL-10 level was significantly decreased in the LPS-induced abortion group of mice compared to the controls. Use of Pentoxifylline (PXF), or a combination of Radix scutellariae and Rhizoma atractylodis reversed the LPS effects: bringing down the fetal resorption rate, and increasing the IL-10 level significantly. The study indicates that the anti-abortive effects of PXF and the combination of Radix scutellariae and Rhizoma atractylodis are closely related to up-regulation of the Th2 cytokine IL-10 at the maternal fetal interface.