Effects of Vernonia cinerea L. on uterine contraction in gestational diabetic rats

Gestational diabetes is the serious metabolic disorder, which causes maternal and fetal disability and may associate with poor myometrial contractility. Vernonia cinerea L. is widely used in Thai traditional medicine with an anti-hyperglycemic property. The effects of V.cinerea L. on pregnant diabetes have never been investigated. This study was to evaluate the effects of V.cinerea L. crude extract on myometrial contraction in diabetic pregnant rats. After mating, the animals were divided into two group (five for each); non-gestational diabetic rats (non-GD) and gestational diabetic rats (GD). At day 5 of pregnancy, diabetes was induced by streptozotocin (60 mg/kg) i.p. At day 20 of pregnancy, both groups of animals were sacrificed. Longitudinal muscular strips were dissected from uterus and placed in the organ bath containing Krebs’solution for tension measurement. Control period was taken in stable spontaneous contraction 30 minutes before the exposure to high K⁺ depolarization (KCl), oxytocin (OT), or V.cinerea L. crude extract. There were significantly decreased frequency, amplitude and area under the contraction (AUC) with prolonged duration in GD. When exposure to KCl and OT, the responses were significantly reduced in GD compared with non-GD. However, V.cinerea L. crude extract was significantly increased the frequency and AUC in both non-GD and GD. Impaired uterine contractility was found in gestational diabetes. The application of V.cinerea L. crude extract stimulated uterine contraction in both non-GD and GD. The treatment of V. cinerea L. crude extract may be helpful for preventing miscarriage or preterm birth, which is commonly found in diabetes pregnancy.

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