title: Anti-abortive effect of Radix scutellariae and Rhizoma atractylodis in mice.
abstract: The objective of this study is to investigate the significance of natural killer (NK) cells and interleukin-2 in uterus in the early embryo loss (or resorption), and to elucidate the immunological modulation of maternal-fetal interface with Chinese herbal medicine Radix scutellariae (huang qin) and Rhizoma atractylodis (bai zhu). Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was given via the tail vein to induce abortion in mice at day 7 of gestation. Uterine NK cells and IL-2 contents were analyzed by immunohistochemistry and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. The number of NK cells was found to be much higher (mean = 180 +/- 39) in the decidua of LPS-treated abortion mice. But when the Chinese herbal medicine was used to prevent LPS-induced abortion, less NK cells (mean = 11 +/- 4) were counted (p < 0.01). The mean value of IL-2 in LPS-treated mice was 5.25 +/- 2.5938 pg/mg protein, higher than (p < 0.05) that of the herb prevention group, which was only 1.86 +/- 0.9789 pg/mg protein. The results therefore indicate that the increase of NK cells in the decidua and IL-2 contents in the uterus in LPS-treated mice is closely related to the embryo loss, and that the Chinese herbal medicine prescription composed of Radix scutellariae and Rhizoma atractylodis has an anti-abortive effect through inhibition of maternal-fetal interface immunity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, Agricultural University of Hebei, Baoding, China. zhongxiuhui@263.net
authors.forename: Xiu-Hui
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Zhan-Xiang
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Tie-Shuan
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: En-Qiang
authors.initials: EQ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wan-Yu
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Su-Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Chu
mesh_terms: D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000818:Animals; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000187:drug effects; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000378:metabolism; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000633:toxicity; D051379:Mice; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D011247:Pregnancy; D014599:Uterus / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D010936:Plant Extracts