Epithelial Cell Biology Research Centre, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
Cell Biol Int. 2009 Dec;33(12):1207-11. doi: 10.1016/j.cellbi.2009.03.003. Epub 2009 Mar 31.
Since contractility of the uterus appears to be the major source of pain during dysmenorrhoea, alleviation of the contractions is believed to be a possible treatment strategy. Bak Foong Pills, a traditional Chinese formulation for use in gynaecological disorders, has long been thought as effective in the treatment of dysmenorrhoeal symptoms. The present study thus aims to investigate whether ethanol extract of Bak Foong Pills (BFP-Ex) or its constituent herbs may have direct effects on alleviating dysmenorrhoeal symptoms by altering uterine tone. This was investigated using isolated uterine preparations and intracellular messenger analysis of adenylate cyclase, via [(3)H]-adenine assay, and calcium, with fluorometry imaging, in myometrial cultures. BFP-Ex can stimulate uterine relaxation following oxytocin-induced contractions ex-vivo. Attempted inhibition of BFP-Ex's relaxatory response with a nitric oxide inhibitor and adenylate cyclase inhibitor, however, had no significant effect, suggesting that most of BFP-Ex's relaxatory response was not due to increases in NO or cAMP. Further studies on tetramethylpyrazine (TMP), a major active ingredient of BFP-Ex, indicated that TMP could modulate intracellular calcium levels in favour of uteri relaxation. The ability of Bak Foong Pills to alleviate menstrual pain may be due to direct regulation of uterine tone.
由于子宫收缩似乎是痛经的主要原因，因此缓解收缩被认为是一种可能的治疗策略。作为妇科疾病的传统中药配方，保胎丸（Bak Foong Pills）长期以来被认为对缓解痛经症状有效。因此，本研究旨在探讨保胎丸的乙醇提取物（BFP-Ex）或其组成草药是否可以通过改变子宫张力来直接缓解痛经症状。本研究使用离体子宫标本和通过 [(3)H]-腺嘌呤测定法进行的腺苷酸环化酶的细胞内信使分析以及通过荧光法进行的钙分析，在子宫平滑肌培养物中进行了研究。BFP-Ex 可以刺激催产素诱导的收缩后离体子宫松弛。然而，用一氧化氮抑制剂和腺苷酸环化酶抑制剂尝试抑制 BFP-Ex 的松弛反应并没有产生显著影响，这表明 BFP-Ex 的大部分松弛反应不是由于 NO 或 cAMP 的增加。对 BFP-Ex 的主要活性成分四甲基吡嗪（TMP）的进一步研究表明，TMP 可以调节细胞内钙水平，有利于子宫松弛。保胎丸缓解月经疼痛的能力可能是由于直接调节子宫张力。
