Molecular screening of Chinese medicinal plants for progestogenic and anti-progestogenic activity.
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Date
2014-06
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Abstract
Estrogen and progestins have adverse effects, and many of these adverse effects are caused by progestins. Due to this,
many women choose to use botanical alternatives for hormone replacement therapy, which does not trigger steroidogenic
properties. Therefore, it is necessary to screen these herbs for progestogenic and anti-progestogenic properties.
Extract of 13 Chinese medicinal plants were analysed for progestogenic and anti-progestogenic activities by using
progesterone response element-driven luciferase reporter gene bioassay. MTT assay was carried out to investigate the
cytotoxic effect of herb extract on PAE cells. Among the 13 herbs, Dipsacus asperoides extract exhibited progestogenic
activity, and 10 species – Cortex eucommiae, Folium artemisiae argyi, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Angelica sinensis,
Atractylodes macrocephala koidz, Scutellaria baicalensis, Cuscuta chinensis, Euscaphis japonica, Ailanthus
altissima, and Dioscorea opposita – were recognized to have anti-progestogenic like activities. Extract of Dipsacus
asperoides demonstrated dose-dependent progestogenic activity, and the progestogenic activity of 100 μg/mL extracts
was equivalent to 31.45 ng/mL progesterone activity. Herbs extracts that exhibited anti-progestogenic-like activity
also inhibited the 314.46 ng/mL progesterone activity in a dose-response manner. None of the herb extracts shown
significant toxic effect on PAE cells at 40–100 μg/mL compared to control. This discovery will aid selection of
suitable herbs for hormone replacement therapy.
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Keywords
Anti-progesterone, bioassay, medicinal plants, progesterone
Citation
Ahmed H M Manir, Yeh Jan-Ying, Tang Yi-Chia, Cheng Winston Teng-Kuei, Ou Bor-Rung. Molecular screening of Chinese medicinal plants for progestogenic and anti-progestogenic activity. Journal of Biosciences. 2014 Jun; 39 (3): 453-461.