Department of Hepato-Billiary Surgery, the Affiliated Hospital of Guiyang Medical College, Guiyang, China.
Med Hypotheses. 2011 Nov;77(5):745-7. doi: 10.1016/j.mehy.2011.07.028. Epub 2011 Aug 10.
Endometriosis (EMs) is defined as the presence of tissue which somewhat resembles endometrial glands and stroma outside the uterus, and elicit an inflammatory response. This response is accompanied by angiogenesis, adhesions, fibrosis, scarring, neuronal infiltration, and anatomical distortion, resulting in pain and infertility. Owing to the side effects of the present medical treatment and the 10% incidence of recurrence after surgery, EMs is difficult to cure completely so far, that have given impetus to consider novel therapy. Since 1980s, cigarette smoking was found inversely related to the risk of having EMs and it is generally considered that nicotine may play a beneficial role in the pathological process of EMs. Recently, the anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive functions of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) as well as the related mechanisms have become a research hotspot. Based on the above-mentioned, it suggests that the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonists may be applied for the treatment of EMs.
子宫内膜异位症（EMs）被定义为组织出现在子宫外类似于子宫内膜腺体和基质的存在，并引发炎症反应。这种反应伴随着血管生成、粘连、纤维化、瘢痕形成、神经元浸润和解剖学扭曲，导致疼痛和不孕。由于目前医学治疗的副作用和手术后 10%的复发率，EMs 至今难以完全治愈，这促使人们考虑新的治疗方法。自 20 世纪 80 年代以来，人们发现吸烟与患有 EMs 的风险呈负相关，并且普遍认为尼古丁可能在 EMs 的病理过程中发挥有益作用。最近，烟碱型乙酰胆碱受体（nAChRs）的抗炎和抗伤害作用及其相关机制已成为研究热点。基于上述情况，提示烟碱型乙酰胆碱受体激动剂可能用于 EMs 的治疗。
