Lipid‐soluble fraction of Shakuyaku‐kanzo‐to inhibits myometrial contraction in pregnant women. Issue 5 (25th November 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sumi, Genichiro; Yasuda, Katsuhiko; Tsuji, Shoko; Kanamori, Chiharu; Tsuzuki, Tomoko; Cho, Hisayuu; Nishigaki, Akemi; Okada, Hidetaka; Kanzaki, Hideharu
• Is Part Of: Journal of obstetrics and gynaecology research. Volume 41:Issue 5(2015:May)
• Page Start: 670
• Page End: 679
• Publication Date: 2014-11-25
• Subjects: Gynecology -- Periodicals; Obstetrics -- Periodicals; 618.1005
• DOI: 10.1111/jog.12618
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1341-8076

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="jog12618-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Aim</title> <p> <italic>Shakuyaku‐kanzo‐to</italic>, a <italic>Kampo</italic> medicine composed equally of <italic>shakuyaku</italic> and <italic>kanzo</italic>, is an antispasmodic drug that can inhibit contraction of uterine smooth muscles in pregnant women and rats. We aimed to test the inhibitory effects of water‐ and lipid‐soluble extracts of <italic>shakuyaku‐kanzo‐to</italic>, <italic>shakuyaku</italic>, and <italic>kanzo</italic> in order to identify the fraction responsible for inhibiting uterine smooth muscle contraction in pregnancy.</p> </sec> <sec id="jog12618-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Material and Methods</title> <p>Myometrial tissues were obtained from pregnant women and rats. The water‐ and lipid‐soluble fractions of <italic>shakuyaku‐kanzo‐to</italic>, <italic>shakuyaku</italic>, and <italic>kanzo</italic> were obtained using the method of Bligh and Dyer. Lipid‐soluble fractions were also partially purified using thin‐layer chromatography (TLC) with a chloroform : methanol : water (65:25:4 by volume) solvent system to yield four TLC fractions. The effect of each fraction on oxytocin‐induced myometrial contraction was examined <italic>in vitro</italic>.</p> </sec> <sec id="jog12618-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Lipid‐soluble fractions obtained from <italic>shakuyaku‐kanzo‐to</italic> and <italic>kanzo</italic> inhibited myometrial contraction; water‐soluble fractions had no effect. Of the four TLC fractions, the inhibitory effect was greatest with TLC fraction 1 (0.75 < Rf value ≤ 1.0). Neither the water‐soluble nor the lipid‐soluble fraction from <italic>shakuyaku</italic> inhibited myometrial contraction.</p> </sec> <sec id="jog12618-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>These results suggest that lipid‐soluble substances with low polarity derived from <italic>kanzo</italic> are responsible for the inhibitory effect of <italic>shakuyaku‐kanzo‐to</italic> on myometrial contraction.</p> </sec> </abstract>