Astragalus manna abortifacient risk and effects on sex hormones in BALB/c mice.

BACKGROUND

manna is used to treat different diseases. Because pregnant women tend to use and Iranian traditional medicine emphasizes the abortifacient potential of this plant, this study aimed to investigate manna abortifacient property and effects on estrogen, progesterone, LH and FSH levels in BALB/c mice.

METHOD

This experimental study was conducted with 70 female BALB/c mice assigned to seven groups: Nonpregnant, untreated; nonpregnant, extract (400 mg/kg)-treated; pregnant, extract (400, 800 and 1200 mg/kg)-treated; and two pregnant control groups. On 18 and 19 days of pregnancy, cesarean section performed on mice, resorbed embryos counted; then Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), Luteinizing hormone (LH), estrogen and progesterone levels were measured by the ELISA.

RESULTS

extract caused a significant increase abortion in mice. The levels of progesterone, FSH and LH were significantly different among the groups such that mean progesterone level was lower and mean LH and FSH levels were higher in the extract-treated groups than the pregnant, untreated group.

CONCLUSION

This extract has abortifacient properties and this plant can be used cautiously in pregnancy. Decreasing progesterone, increasing FSH and LH feedback in response to decreased progesterone by this extract is one of the potential mechanisms involved in abortion.