| Threatened abortion (TA) is one of the most common condition illness during pregnancy, estimating an occurrence of 10%~18% in pregnant women. Symptoms include occasional vaginal bleeding, abdominal cramps and lower back discomfort.In recent years, the department of gynaecology at the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine has undergone studies of using Zhuyun No.3, a formula that is kidney and spleen strengthening, in the treatment of threatened abortion. Results are satisfactory. According to our previous findings, Zhuyun No.3's mechanism of action helps to stabilize the functional corpus luteum with proper excretion of progesterone, to relieve tension in the smooth muscles, and to suppress over-activity in the uterus, which in all help to prevent ultimate miscarriage. In prospect to discover whether it serves a better or equally effective application for the early stages of threatened abortion, whether its mechanism of action is likewise that previously discovered, and whether it has regulatory hormonal effect in experimental rat, this study sets out to observe the effect of Zhuyun No.3 on uterine contraction in SD rat with acupuncture initiated threatened abortion, and its effect on the level of progesterone, prostaglandin, estradiol, thromboxane, β-endorphine, in hope to clearly discover its mechanism of action.Methods:1. Pregnant experimental rats were given electro-acupuncture treatment at sanyinjiao and hegu acupoints to stimulate uncontrolled uterine contraction. An intramuscular injection of oxytocin was prescribed for the next day to set up a threatened abortion model in SD rats.2. The rats were anaesthetized with their uterus exposed, fixed in place, and attached to a thread-to-muscle tone device to record the fluctuation of uterine contraction.3. The immunoassay of radiolabeled progesterone, estradiol and 6-ketone-prostaglandin FLA, thromboxane and β-enodorphine were performed to determine their blood levels.Results:1. The experimental study of the effect of Zhuyun No.3 on uterine contraction of SD rats in threatened abortionWith respect to uterine contraction, both Zhuyun No. 3 at low, medium and high dosages and progesterone therapy when compared with the blank control showed statistical significance in their curative effects (p<0.05 or p<0.01), indicating that mainstream therapy and Zhuyun No. 3 had desirable alleviating effect during uterine contractions. We found that medium dosage of Zhuyun No. 3 had better effect than its low or high dosage, and better than the mainstream application of Turinal, while it worked better than high dosage of Zhuyun No.3. Regarding to the frequency of uterine contraction, low dosage of Zhuyun No.3 had a higher rate than that of the medium dosage group, with statistical significance (p<0.05). When results of the blank controlled group were compared with that of the medium dosage group, the high dosage group and the mainstream therapy group, all showed statistical significance (p<0.01, p<0.05 and p<0.01 respectively).2. Changes in blood progesterone (P) and estradiol (E2) among the groups of SD rats with threatened abortion.Changes in Blood P: Results in the low dosage group of Zhuyun No.3 were significantly different from that of all the other groups (p<0.01). Likewise, results of the medium dosage group compared with that of the others showed statistical significance (p<0.05 or p<0.01). Results of both high and low dosage groups compared with the blank control showed statistical significance (p<0.01). That of the mainstream therapy and low dosage group compared with the controlled group were significantly different (p<0.01). Comparing medium dosage and mainstream therapy group, results showed no significant difference (p>0.05); similarly, the high dosage group compared with the latter had no significant difference either (p>0.05).Changes in Blood E2: Results in the low dosage group showed no significant difference from that of the controlled group (p>0.05). There were significant differences between the controlled group with the medium, high dosage and mainstream therapy groups (p<0.05 or p<0.01). Blood E2 of the medium dosage group was higher than that of the high dosage and mainstream therapy groups, the difference was statistically significant (p<0.01). Results of the high dosage group and mainstream therapy groups showed no significant difference (p>0.05).3. Changes in blood β-endorphine (β-EP) among the groups of SD rats with threatened abortion.The study showed: (1) Results of all the test groups showed significant difference from that of the controlled group (p<0.01) and among the test groups, results also showed significant difference (p<0.01). The content of blood β-endorphine in the groups ranging from the most to the least is medium dosage group, mainstream therapy group, high dosage group and lastly low dosage group respectively. The result showed that medium dosage of Zhuyun No. 3 had the best regulating effect upon β-EP functions, thus, lowering the possibility of threatened abortion's occurrence.4. Changes in blood thromboxane and 6-ketone-prostaglandin among the groups ofSD rats with threatened abortion.With respect to blood thromboxane, the study showed that: (1) there was no difference between the level of TXB2 in the low dosage group of Zhuyun No. 3 and the controlled group (p>0.05). (2) There was significant difference in the level of TXB2 among the medium and high dosage groups oiZhuyun No.3, mainstream therapy group and the controlled group (p<0.05 or p<0.01). (3) There was statistical significance in the level of blood thromboxane between the medium dosage group of Zhuyun No.3 and the other 4 test groups (p<0.01), indicating that the medium dosage group had better effect in lowering the content of blood thromboxane.With respect to 6-ketone-prostagladin, the study showed that: (1) there was significant difference in blood 6-ketone-PGF1a between the controlled group and the low, medium dosage and the mainstream therapy groups (p<0.01). (2) Medium dosage of Zhuyun No.3 was more effective in suppressing 6-ketone-PGF1a's expression than the high dosage group; the difference was statistically significant (p<0.05). There was no significant difference between the suppressive effect of 6-ketone-PGF1a in the medium dosage group and the mainstream therapy group (p>0.05). (3) The suppression of 6-ketone-PGF1a was more effective in the mainstream therapy than the high dosage group of Zhuyun No.3; the difference was statistically significant (p<0.05).Conclusions:Zhuyun No.3 had regulatory effect not only in the content of blood progesterone, estradiol, β-enodorphine, thromboxane and 6-ketone-prostaglandin in the acupuncture-oxytocin stimulated threatened abortion rat model, but also in the frequency of uterine contraction. Results in the study showed that all dosages of Zhuyun No. 3 were effective in the prevention of threatened abortion. Medium dosage of Zhuyun No.3 was more effective than the Turinal therapy in its treatment. Its possible mechanism of action had to do with increasing the progesterone and...
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