ligustilide and Dysmenorrhea

To summarize the new progress of the study about volatile oil of the angelica, including the distillable methods, the analysis of the chemical components, the pharmacological effects and the clinical applications. We tracked and searched the correlative references and study reports about volatile oil of the angelica in CNKI data base(1994-2004) and Medline data base (1997-2004). We summarized and compared the different distillable methods of volatile oil of the angelica, meanwhile we summarized many study reports about the analysis of the chemical components of volatile oil of the angelica and it's pharmacological effects, including the toxicity of the volatile oil and it's effects on the uterus smooth muscle, cardiovascular system, respiratory system, central nerve system and immune system. Finally we summarized the clinical application of the volatile oil of the angelica. There are three distillable methods of volatile oil of the angelica . The harvest efficiency of volatile oil is different with different distillable methods. The chemical components are very complicated and the new chemical components are separated and identified. The volatile oil has bidirectional effects on the uterus smooth muscle. It can inhibit the contraction of the uterus smooth muscle induced by different mechanisms. Meanwhile it can depress the blood pressure and ameliorate the cardiac ischemia. The volatile oil can resist the arrhythmia and asthma, restrain the central system, improve the immune function. Nowadays the volatile oil of the angelica is applied to therapy the dysmenorrhea and disorder of the catamenia. The chemical components of the volatile oil of the angelica are very complicated, moreover the pharmacological effects of the volatile oil are comprehensive. People make the new progress of the study about volatile oil of the angelica.

Topics: 4-Butyrolactone; Angelica; Animals; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; Anti-Asthmatic Agents; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Blood Pressure; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Dysmenorrhea; Female; Humans; Male; Muscle Contraction; Muscle, Smooth; Oils, Volatile; Plants, Medicinal; Uterus

In the present study, the effects of ligustilide (LIG) on uterine contraction in vitro were investigated. In isolated rat uterine, LIG (2-8 microg/ml) inhibited the spontaneous periodic contraction in a concentration-dependent manner (EC(50)=4.4 microg/ml, 95% confidence interval 2.7-6.1 microg/ml), and attenuated prostaglandin F2alpha (PGF(2)alpha)- or acetylcholine chloride (Ach)-induced uterine contractions. At 8 microg/ml, LIG nearly completely blocked the PGF(2)alpha-induced contractions (95.3%). In the case of Ach-induced contraction, about 73.9% was inhibited by LIG at this dosage. It was also observed that LIG affected significantly oxytocin-induced increase in the contraction of uterine horns that were incubated not only in the Locke solution but also in a Ca(2+)-free solution. In addition, LIG caused concentration-dependent inhibition of uterine contraction induced by K(+) (56.3 Mm) depolarization, reaching the significant level at 2 microg/ml (EC(50)=3.3 microg/ml, 95% confidence interval 2.5-4.1 microg/ml). The findings clearly show that LIG has multiple effects on the uterine smooth muscles, suggesting that LIG possesses a non-specific antispasmodic function. The data also imply strongly that LIG is one of active ingredients of Danggui and has the potential to be developed into an effective drug for the prevention and treatment of primary dysmenorrhoea.

Topics: 4-Butyrolactone; Acetylcholine; Angelica; Animals; Calcium; Dinoprost; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Dysmenorrhea; Female; Oxytocics; Oxytocin; Phytotherapy; Potassium; Rats; Uterine Contraction; Uterus