Tuttle R S, Marmelstein L, Trad T, Reddy S, Radley T
Masonic Medical Research Laboratory, Utica, NY 13501-1787.
Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1989 Nov;161(5):1319-23. doi: 10.1016/0002-9378(89)90691-1.
Tetramethylpyrazine is extracted from Rhizoma ligustici wallichii, an herb used in the Chinese medicine Chung Chong. Both herb and extract have been used in the treatment of anginal pain and stroke. Animal studies in the West have shown that tetramethylpyrazine improves coronary blood flow, is short acting, and has a low toxicity. There are no clinical or animal studies on the uterine effects of tetramethylpyrazine. We present results of a preliminary study with isolated uterine strips from rats. We found that tetramethylpyrazine, in a dose-dependent manner (0.6 to 20 micrograms/ml), reduced uterine diastolic tone and inhibited the response to oxytocin (0.02 to 0.32 micrograms/ml). Higher concentrations of tetramethylpyrazine were needed to block the uterine responses to prostaglandin E2 (0.01 to 0.1 microgram/ml). On the basis of clinical and folk experience in the Far East, tetramethylpyrazine appears to have fewer systemic effects in human beings than have the beta-adrenergic agonists or calcium channel blockers. We suggest that studies in the whole animal and in the clinic might provide reasons to use tetramethylpyrazine to reduce uterine contractions and tone in pregnant women at term.
川芎嗪是从中药材川芎的根茎中提取出来的。川芎及其提取物都被用于治疗心绞痛和中风。西方的动物研究表明，川芎嗪能改善冠状动脉血流量，作用时间短且毒性低。目前尚无关于川芎嗪对子宫影响的临床或动物研究。我们展示了一项对大鼠离体子宫肌条进行的初步研究结果。我们发现，川芎嗪以剂量依赖性方式（0.6至20微克/毫升）降低子宫舒张张力，并抑制对催产素（0.02至0.32微克/毫升）的反应。需要更高浓度的川芎嗪才能阻断子宫对前列腺素E2（0.01至0.1微克/毫升）的反应。基于远东地区的临床和民间经验，川芎嗪在人体中的全身作用似乎比β-肾上腺素能激动剂或钙通道阻滞剂要少。我们建议，在整体动物和临床中进行的研究可能会为使用川芎嗪减少足月孕妇的子宫收缩和张力提供依据。
