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  3. An experimental study of the anti-dysmenorrhea effect of Chinese herbal medicines used in Jin Gui Yao Lue

An experimental study of the anti-dysmenorrhea effect of Chinese herbal medicines used in Jin Gui Yao Lue

  • J Ethnopharmacol. 2019 Dec 5;245:112181. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2019.112181.
Meng Li 1,  Jingai Bi 1,  Baojie Lv 2,  Weiran Zheng 3,  Zhenzhong Wang 3,  Wei Xiao 3,  Yang Sun 4,  Erguang Li 5
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Medical School of Nanjing University, China; Jiangsu Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Nanjing University, China.
  • 2 Jiangsu Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Nanjing University, China; State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Department of Biotechnology & Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, China.
  • 3 State Key Laboratory of New-tech for Chinese Medicine Pharmaceutic Process, Jiangsu Kanion Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Lianyungang, Jiangsu, 222001, China.
  • 4 State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Department of Biotechnology & Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, China. Electronic address: yangsun@nju.edu.cn.
  • 5 State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Medical School of Nanjing University, China; Jiangsu Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Nanjing University, China. Electronic address: erguang@nju.edu.cn.
PMID: 31446072 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2019.112181
Abstract

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Dang-Gui-Shao-Yao-San () and Gui-Zhi-Fu-Ling-Tang () and among the herbal medicines commonly used to treat primary dysmenorrhea with proven record of effectiveness.

Aim of this study: This study aims to assess the effectiveness of herbal medicines on relieving primary dysmenorrhea in a murine model and to delineate a plausible mechanism.

Materials and methods: Herbal medicines in the form of pills (Wan) or capsules, including Gui-Zhi-Fu-Ling capsule, Gui-Zhi-Fu-Ling-Wan, Jia-Wei-Xiao-Yao-Wan, and Shao-Fu-Zhu-Yu capsule were purchased from local drug stores in Nanjing. Dang-Gui-Shao-Yao-San filled from a local hospital. The identity of the drugs was validated by HPLC profiling. Female ICR mice were used for an induced dysmenorrhea model. The severity of dysmenorrhea was evaluated and scored, the motor coordination and balance affected by induced dysmenorrhea was assessed by a Rotarod test. Uterine inflammation and edema were examined after histological and immunohistochemical staining. The effect of the drugs on COX2 activity was evaluated enzymatically.

Results: The Chinese herbal medicines at dosages relevant to recommended uses in humans relieved painful responses, including abdominal wall contraction, pelvic twisting and/or rear limb stretching. The treatment also improved motor coordination, extending the time staying on a rotating rod from 2.64 ± 0.38 min of oxytocin-induced group to 8.59 ± 1.45 (DGSYs), 9.50 ± 1.47 (GZFLc), 8.04 ± 1.87 (GZFLw), 9.91 ± 1.62 (JWXYw), and 8.20 ± 1.35 min (SFZYc), respectively. H&E staining showed that treatment with ibuprofen or Chinese herbal medicines markedly decreased edema and inflammatory cell infiltration in uterine tissues. The treatment did not significantly affect pattern of COX2 staining. In an in vitro enzymatic assay, the Chinese herbal medicines showed strong inhibitory activity against cyclooxygenase-2. The aqueous extracts from P. lactiflora or P. suffruticosa, two of the common components in the formulae tested, also showed anti-dysmenorrhea activity in the rotarod assay.

Conclusion: The study demonstrates that traditionally used Chinese herbal medicines are effective against induced-dysmenorrhea. These herbal medicines relieve dysmenorrhea symptoms likely though inhibition of cyclooxygenase activity.

Keywords

Anti-dysmenorrhea; Chinese medicine; Cyclooxygenase-2; Rotarod test; Writhing response.

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