Effect of Curcuma comosa on Uterine Smooth Muscle Contraction in Women with Adenomyosis
Areepan Sophonsritsuk MD, PhD1, Ladaporn Wongkanha MD2, Apilada Ochareun MSc2, Sakda Arj-Ong Vallibhakara MD, PhD3, Orawin Vallibhakara MD2, Koset Pinpradap Bsc4, Pawinee Piyachaturawat PhD5, Puchong Likittanasombut MD2
Affiliation : 1 Gynecologic Endocrinology Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand 2 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand 3 Section for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi, Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand 4 Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand 5 Department of Physiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
Objective : To analyze the relaxant effect of Curcuma comosa (Wan chak motluk) and explore its mechanism and its major compound,
diarylheptanoid, on human myometrium with adenomyosis.
Materials and Methods : An in vitro experimental study was performed in the Gynecologic Endocrinology Unit, Department of
Obstetrics and Gynecology in Ramathibodi Hospital. Subjects were myometrial strips with histologically con(cid:976)irmed adenomyosis
and collected from seventeen non-pregnant premenopausal women undergone hysterectomy. They were incubated in an organ
bath system. Spontaneous activities and responses of myometrium to Curcuma comosa and diarylheptanoid were recorded under
isometric conditions.
Results : Log of the concentration required to achieve 50% of the maximal response (log IC50) for Curcuma comosa and
diarylheptanoid were 1.504±1.797 and 1.487±5.334 μg/ml, respectively. Diarylheptanoid signi(cid:976)icantly decreased myometrial
contraction in adenomyosis in a dose-dependent manner (p = 0.04). Pre-incubation with ICI (estrogen receptor antagonist), L-NAME
(nitric oxide synthase inhibitor), or ODQ (guanylase cyclase inhibitor) did not exert signi(cid:976)icant changes in signal comparing to
control (without pre-incubation).
Conclusion : Diarylheptanoid provided relaxant effects on human myometrium with adenomyosis. However, these relaxant effects
did not contribute through non-genomic estrogen receptor [ER], nitric oxide [NO] dependent guanylase cyclase pathway. Further
study focusing on the molecular mechanism behind Curcuma comosa and diarylheptanoid is still needed. A major compound
extracted from the Wan chak motluk could be an alternative treatment for dysmenorrhea and pelvic pain caused from adenomyosis.
Keywords : Curcuma comosa, Diarylheptanoid, Adenomyosis, Myometrium
