title: Protective effects of baicalin against bromocriptine induced abortion in mice.
abstract: The Chinese herbal medicine Huang Qin (Radix Scutellariae) had been used for restless fetus for hundreds of years in China, however, little attention had been given to the components of the herb, specifically its ability to exert abortion-preventing effects at the maternal fatal interface. The present study was carried out to investigate the protective effects of baicalin and the possible mechanisms on pregnancies. Baicalin (at 10, 20, and 50 mg/kg BW respectively) was gavaged to bromocriptine-treated mice from gestation day (GD) 1 through GD 7. Abortion rates were calculated and the changes of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), interleukin-10 (IL-10) and progesterone were assayed on different gestation days. Results showed that the embryonic death rates were significantly decreased in groups supplemented with 20 or 50 mg/kg BW of baicalin, accompanied with reduced IFN-gamma and enhanced progesterone contents. Moreover, the highest levels of IFN-gamma appeared on GD 5 both in the control and in baicalin treated groups. It is concluded that baicalin can exert an anti-abortive effect by cutting down the production of IFN-gamma and elevating the levels of progesterone in a dose dependent manner and IFN-gamma is involved in an inflammatory reaction which is beneficial for a successful implantation.
authors.affiliation: College of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, Agricultural University of Hebei, Dingzhou City 073000, China.
authors.forename: Ai-Tuan
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Xiu-Hui
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Zhan-Min
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Wan-Yu
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Xiang-He
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Zhai
authors.forename: Tie
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Li-Gen
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Meng
mesh_terms: D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001971:Bromocriptine / Q000009:adverse effects; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006727:Hormone Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism*; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008517:Phytotherapy; D018517:Plant Roots; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000378:metabolism; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D031363:Scutellaria; D014599:Uterus / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D005419:Flavonoids; D006727:Hormone Antagonists; D016753:Interleukin-10; C038044:baicalin; D001971:Bromocriptine; D011374:Progesterone; D007371:Interferon-gamma