Page 139 - congress

ORAL PRESENTATION / SÖZLÜ SUNUM

Investigation of the Potential Uterotonic Effects of
Anastatica hierochuntica L. Extract on Isolated Bovine Uterine Smooth Muscle

Sümeyye BAL Zeyno NUHOĞLU Emine KOÇ Yavuz Kürşad DAŞ Abdurrahman AKSOY
1
2
2
1
2,*

1 Ondokuz Mayıs University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Midwifery, Samsun, TÜRKIYE
2 Ondokuz Mayıs University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Pharmacology
and Toxicology, Samsun, TÜRKIYE

*Correspound Author: ykdas@omu.edu.tr

Anastatica hierochuntica L., commonly known as Kaf Mariam (Mary’s Hand), is a medicinal
plant widely used in traditional folk medicine across the Middle East and North Africa, including
Türkiye. It has traditionally been believed to facilitate, and induce labor. In customary practice, the
dried plant is placed in a bowl of water near a pregnant woman's bedside; as the plant unfurls in the
water, it is symbolically associated with the opening of the birth canal. Furthermore, the water in
which the plant has grown is administered orally to the woman, based on the belief that it may ease
the process of childbirth. Post-delivery, the plant is removed, dried, and then used with the belief that
it aids in controlling postpartum bleeding.
This study aimed to assess the potential labor-inducing (uterotonic) effects of A. hierochuntica
on isolated bovine uterine smooth muscle tissue. Uterine samples were obtained from female cattle
at a local slaughterhouse. Longitudinal strips of the tissue were mounted in an isolated organ bath
system. Contractions were induced using oxytocin, and the effects of cumulative doses of Atosiban
(used as a positive control) and A. hierochuntica extract on uterine contractility were recorded.
The IC₅₀ values for Atosiban were calculated as follows: 2.558 × 10⁻⁶ M for contraction
frequency (beats per minute, BPM), 8.114 × 10⁻⁶ M for maximum contraction force (PMAX), and
1.618 × 10⁻⁶ M for the area under the curve (AUC). These values confirm that Atosiban effectively
inhibits both the frequency and duration of uterine contractions at low concentrations; however,
higher concentrations are required to suppress contraction amplitude. In contrast, the EC₅₀ values for
A. hierochuntica extract were determined as: 3.213 × 10⁻⁴ g/mL (BPM), 2.904 × 10⁻⁴ g/mL (PMAX),
and 3.453 × 10⁻⁴ g/mL (AUC), indicating a dose-dependent stimulatory (ecbolic) effect on uterine
contractility. Notably, even the highest concentration of Atosiban (3 × 10⁻⁴ M) failed to completely
inhibit the contractions induced by the plant extract.
These findings quantitatively support the strong tocolytic activity of Atosiban and the uterotonic
potential of A. hierochuntica. The fact that Atosiban, an oxytocin receptor antagonist, was unable to
fully block the contractile effects of A. hierochuntica suggests that the plant’s action may involve
alternative, non-oxytocin receptor-mediated pathways. Consequently, further investigations are
warranted to elucidate the molecular mechanisms, receptor interactions, and toxicological profiles
associated with both substances.
In conclusion, A. hierochuntica elicited contractile activity in uterine smooth muscle, providing
experimental support for its traditional use during childbirth. However, despite its historical
application, it should not be recommended for human use without validation through well-designed
clinical studies. Nonetheless, these findings offer a promising foundation for future research into
plant-derived agents that could potentially assist in labor induction safely and effectively.
Keywords: Labor, contractile effect, Kaf Mariam (Mary’s hand), cattle, uterine smooth muscle.

136