title: Possible evidence that the herbal medicine shakuyaku-kanzo-to decreases prostaglandin levels through suppressing arachidonate turnover in endometrium.
abstract: The herbal medicine shakuyaku-kanzo-to has been used for the treatment of dysmenorrhea. We attempted to establish the effects of shakuyaku-kanzo-to on prostaglandin (PG) levels and the turnover of arachidonic acid in endometrial cells. Human endometrial cells isolated from proliferative-phase endometria were examined. Arachidonic acid reacylation activity was determined by [3H]arachidonic acid incorporation into endometrial cell phospholipid. Its deacylation rate was determined by both 3H-liberation from [3H]-arachidonic acid-labelled phospholipids and production of lyso-phospholipid. [3H]-PG levels were also analyzed. Shakuyaku-kanzo-to enhanced the rate and maximal level of arachidonic acid incorporation by 1.5-fold into phosphatidyl-ethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine. Degradation of the phospholipids to liberate arachidonic acid and lyso-derivatives was not affected by the shakuyaku-kanzo-to. Shakuyaku-kanzo-to decreased PG levels by approximately 50% of control. Because shakuyaku-kanzo-to stimulates arachidonic acid esterification to phospholipids, it seems likely that shakuyaku-kanzo-to depletes cellular free arachidonic acid with a consequent suppression of prostaglandin synthesis. Shakuyaku-kanzo-to may exert its action against dysmenorrhea through preventing prostaglandin production.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gifu University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Imai
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Horibe
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fuseya
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Iida
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takagi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tamaya
mesh_terms: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004412:Dysmenorrhea / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D004717:Endometrium / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts; D006035:Glycyrrhiza; D006801:Humans; D029596:Paeonia; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines / Q000378:metabolism; D010714:Phosphatidylethanolamines / Q000378:metabolism; D010716:Phosphatidylinositols / Q000378:metabolism; D010741:Phospholipases A / Q000378:metabolism; D011448:Prostaglandin Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011453:Prostaglandins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D005227:Fatty Acids; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D010714:Phosphatidylethanolamines; D010716:Phosphatidylinositols; D011448:Prostaglandin Antagonists; D011453:Prostaglandins; C038462:shakuyaku-kanzoh-toh; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D010741:Phospholipases A