Department of Pharmacognosy, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Planta Med. 2011 Feb;77(3):207-20. doi: 10.1055/s-0030-1250317. Epub 2010 Sep 15.
Abnormalities in the process of uterine muscle contractility during pregnancy and birth can have major clinical implications, including preterm labour, which is the single largest cause of maternal and prenatal mortality in the Western world and a major contributor to childhood developmental problems. In contrast, induction of labour may be necessary in certain conditions. Currently used interventional therapies to suppress (tocolytic agents) or to induce (uterotonic agents) uterine contractions lack potency and/or selectivity and can have harmful side effects for mother and baby. Nature's diversity has always been, and still is, one of the biggest resources of therapeutic lead compounds. Many natural products exhibit biological activity against unrelated targets, thus providing researchers with starting points for drug development. In this review we will provide an overview of uterine muscle physiology, describe currently available biological screening procedures for testing of uterotonic plant compounds and will summarise traditionally-used uterotonic plants, their active components and their mechanisms, primarily focusing on uterotonic active circular plant peptides called cyclotides. Finally we will comment on the discovery of novel cyclotide-producing plant species and the possibility for the development of novel plant-derived uterotonic and tocolytic drugs.
子宫肌肉收缩过程中的异常在妊娠和分娩中具有重要的临床意义，包括早产，这是西方世界孕产妇和围产期死亡的最大单一原因，也是儿童发育问题的主要原因。相比之下，在某些情况下可能需要引产。目前用于抑制（催产剂）或诱导（子宫收缩剂）子宫收缩的介入治疗缺乏效力和/或选择性，并且可能对母亲和婴儿产生有害的副作用。自然界的多样性一直是，而且仍然是，治疗先导化合物的最大资源之一。许多天然产物对不相关的靶标表现出生物活性，从而为研究人员提供了药物开发的起点。在这篇综述中，我们将概述子宫肌肉生理学，描述目前用于测试子宫收缩植物化合物的生物筛选程序，并总结传统上使用的子宫收缩植物、它们的活性成分及其机制，主要集中在称为环肽的子宫收缩活性环状植物肽上。最后，我们将评论新型环肽产生植物物种的发现以及开发新型植物来源的子宫收缩剂和保胎药物的可能性。
