The contractile effects of various species of the Angelica genus on isolated uterine tissue of Mus musculus

Abstract

Herbal preparations have been utilized in midwifery to facilitate the birthing process. Nevertheless, these preparations are not under the scrutiny of the Food and Drug Administration, and there is a lack of clinical trials to demonstrate their safety and effectiveness. The Angelica genus, including dong quai (Angelica sinensis), Angelica archangelica, and Angelica sylvestris, has been used by midwives to induce uterine contractions. The primary goal of this project was to investigate midwifery claims by measuring the contractile effects of A. sinensis, A. archangelica, and A. sylvestris on isolated Mus musculus uterine horns. All Angelica species, when tested at similar concentrations, produced contractile forces greater than that of the tissue's own spontaneous motility. Of the Angelica species, dong quai yielded the greatest contractile force. In addition, A. archangelica demonstrated concentration dependency when producing contractile forces. The results herein support that the Angelica species reported in midwifery literature do indeed induce contractions at the reduced level of isolated tissues. Future research that would demonstrate the absorption and distribution of the herbal constituents following oral consumption would lend more support to the use of these herbals at the organismal level.