Abortifacient activity

Methyl ester of aristolic acid (55) isolated from A. indica exerted 100%, 25% and 20 % abortifacient activity in mice when administered at the dose level of 60 mg/kg body weight on days 6 or 7, 10 and 12 post coitum, respectively [88]. 

A sequiterpene, (12S)-1,12-secoishwaran-12-ol (390) exerted 100% abortifacient activity in mice when administered at a single oral dose of 100 mg/kg body weight on 6th or 7th day of pregnancy [89],... 

It is worth noting that a 2a,2b-bishomo-PGp2a derivative (9 carbon a-chain) has been reported to display potent abortifacient activity (144). 

Buchu contains the compound pulegone (2.4-4.5% of A. betulina essential oil and 31.6-73.2% of A. crenulata essential oil) (Collins and Graven 1996 Kaiser et al. 1975). Pulegone is considered to be the primary compound in European pennyroyal Mentha pulegium) responsible for the abortifacient activity of this plant (Anderson et al. 1996). Although no reports of abortifacient activity of buchu were identified, use of buchu during pregnancy is not recommended. 

Information on the safety of andrographis during pregnancy is limited. Conflicting results on effects on fertility and pregnancy have been reported in animal studies, with some studies indicating no adverse effects on fertility in mice (Dhammaupakorn and Chaichantipyuth 1989 Shamsuzzoha et al. 1978,1979) and other studies indicating antifertility or abortifacient activity (Chen and Chen 2004 But 1988 Zoha et al. 1989). 

No adverse effects of celery seed essential oil on fertility were observed in two animal studies (Garg et al. 1970 Sharma et al. 1983). Apiol, a compound found in celery essential oil, has been reported to have abortifacient activity (Kochmann 1931 van Itallie et al. 1932 Wichtl 2004). 

A study in rats indicated abortifacient activity of Madagascar periwinkle administered on days 1 to 10 of pregnancy. Details on dose and product used were lacking (Adhikary et al. 1990). 

Although one reference text on traditional Chinese medicine indicates that Chinese clematis should be used with caution in pregnancy (Chen and Chen 2004), another reference did not list any concern for use in pregnancy (Bensky et al. 2004). An animal study indicated that the alcohol extract of Chinese clematis had abortifacient activity in mice (Chen and Chen 2004). Information on dose and route of administration was not reported in the available English language translation. In traditional Chinese medicine, herbal products are typically extracted in water and used in formulas rather than single herbs, and thus the relevance of the above animal study to standard therapeutic use is not known. 

In rats orally administered 250 or 500 mg/kg of an aqueous extract of cumin, mild abortifacient activity was observed when the extract was administered on gestational days 8 to 12. Cumin also increased the plasma levels of estradiol-17P at the proestrus and estrus stages of the estrus cycle (Al-Khamis et al. 1988). 

Al-Khamis, K.I., M. A. Al-Said, M.W. Islam, et al. 1988. Antifertility anti-implantation and abortifacient activity of the aqueous extract of Cuminum cyminum. Fitoterapia 59(1) 5-10. 

A reproductive toxicity review indicated that animal studies of the compound gossypol demonstrated no teratogenic activity or abortifacient activity of the compound (Randel et al. 1992). No teratogenicity or embryotoxicity of gossypol was reported in studies with rats and rabbits at 5 to 30 times the clinical dose (Qian and Wang 1984). No teratogenic effects were observed in rats orally administered 40 mg/kg of gossypol (Beaudoin 1985). 

Eastern red cedar has been reported to have abortifacient activity (Moerman 1998 Wood and LaWall 1926). 

Eastern red cedar has been reported to have abortifacient activity. No details were listed on the part used, dose, or whether the plant was used singly or in formula (Moerman 1998 Wood and LaWall 1926). 

Case reports and animal studies have indicated that compounds from Himalayan mayapple have abortifacient activity (Chamberlain et al. 1972 Didcock et al. 1952 Longstaff and von Krogh 2001). A safety assessment of the compounds podophyllotoxin and podophyllin indicated that the topical use of these compounds during pregnancy is strongly contraindicated (Longstaff and von Krogh 2001). 

In studies with rabbits, rats, and mice, administration of the compound podophyllotoxin to pregnant animals was associated with fetal resorption and abortifacient activity. Effects were observed in rats intravenously administered 2.5 mg/kg or subcutaneously administered 6 mg/kg, with no maternal mortality at these doses. In rabbits, subcutaneous doses of 18 mg/kg terminated pregnancy in two of five animals, while a dose of 35 mg/kg terminated pregnancy in... 

Several authors list thyme as an emmenagogue or abortifa-cient and note that thyme essential oil should not be used in pregnancy (Chadha 1988 Felter and Lloyd 1898 Watt and Breyer-Brandwijk 1962 Wichtl 2004). Large doses of the compound thymol (which comprises approximately 51% of thyme essential oil) have been associated with abortifacient activity (Gillespie 1973 Sollman 1948). Based on this information, use during pregnancy is not recommended except under the supervision of a qualified healthcare practitioner. 

Fenugreek was listed as one of nearly 300 reported antifertility plants identified in a review of the Ayurvedic literature (Casey 1960). Abortifacient activity was attributed to fenugreek, although reviewers of the research have noted that the definition of abortifacient was broad and included emmenagogues, ecbolics (uterine contractors), and "antimetabolites" (Mills and Bone 2005). A survey of plants used to promote abortion in northeastern India indicated that fenugreek seed was one of 14 plants commonly used no information on efficacy was reported (Nath et al. 1997). Antifertility activity was observed in rats administered a petroleum extract of fenugreek at doses of 0.5 to 1.25 g/kg daily for days 1 to 10 of pregnancy (Adhikary et al. 1990). 

Amenorrhea due to pregnancy might be addressed using herbs with abortifacient or uterine stimulant activity (e.g., pennyroyal, artemisia, cotton root bark). Abortifacient activity may involve reduction in maternal progestogen and testosterone levels, as well as an increase in immunoreac-tive cells (Al-Dissi et al. 2001 Boareto et al. 2008 Mukherjee et al. 1996 Talwar et al. 1997). 

Adverse effects in pregnancy from emmenagogues that do not have abortifacient activity, such as chamomile... 

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