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Original Article
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Korean J Obstet Gynecol. 2012;55(9):629-635. Published online September 17, 2012.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5468/KJOG.2012.55.9.629
- Clostridium botulinum toxin A significantly inhibits uterine contractions in rats undergoing mifepristone-induced preterm labor.
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Hang Yong Jang, Kyung Mi Lee, Young Sin Park, Myung Jin Moon, Won Bo Hahn, Eun Hee Ahn
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Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Bundang CHA General Hospital, CHA University College of Medicine, Seongnam, Korea. bestob@cha.ac.kr
- Abstract
- OBJECTIVE
We investigated the in vivo tocolytic effect of Clostridium botulinum toxin A (BoNT/A) on mifepristone-induced preterm labor in rats. METHODS: On day 17 of gestation, an incision was made to expose the uterus, and BoNT/A (normal saline or 20 units) was injected into the uterine horns. On day 18, mifepristone was used to induce uterine contractions. Electrical activity of uterine contractions was measured via electromyography on day 19. RESULTS: In rats treated with 20 units of BoNT/A, the amplitude of uterine contractions was significantly decreased by 45.2 +/- 18.4 (P<0.05) from baseline, respectively. The total duration of uterine contractions was significantly decreased by 51.7 +/- 7.9 (P<0.01), respectively. The frequency of contraction bursts after treatment with 20 units of BoNT/A was decreased by 5.6 +/- 16.3 from the baseline (P=0.4). CONCLUSION: In rats undergoing mifepristone-induced preterm labor, BoNT/A significantly inhibited uterine contractility. The decrease in uterine activity was mainly caused by a decline in the duration and intensity rather than frequency of uterine contractions.
Keywords :Clostridium botulinum toxin A;Tocolytics;Preterm labor;Mifepristone;Rat
