title: In vitro study of phosphodiesterase-inhibiting drugs: a complement to beta-sympathomimetic drug therapy in premature labor?
abstract: Since terbutaline treatment in premature labor has been shown to increase phosphodiesterase activity in the myometrium, the phosphodiesterase-inhibiting effect of theophylline and papaverine on myometrial preparations from pregnant women has been studied. The patients were either treated with terbutaline during the last 3 weeks of pregnancy or not treated. The results showed that papaverine is about 100 times more potent than theophylline in both phosphodiesterase-inhibiting effect and muscle-relaxing effect. No differences in effects were found in myometrial strips from terbutaline-treated or untreated women. A possible improvement in the tocolytic therapy with a combination of a beta-sympathomimetic and a phosphodiesterase-inhibiting drug is suggested.
mesh_terms: D015105:3',5'-Cyclic-AMP Phosphodiesterases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D000328:Adult; D004347:Drug Interactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009126:Muscle Relaxation / Q000187:drug effects; D009215:Myometrium / Q000187:drug effects; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010208:Papaverine / Q000494:pharmacology; D011247:Pregnancy; D013726:Terbutaline / Q000494:pharmacology; D013806:Theophylline / Q000494:pharmacology; D014590:Uterine Contraction / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D013806:Theophylline; D010208:Papaverine; D015105:3',5'-Cyclic-AMP Phosphodiesterases; D013726:Terbutaline