Carica papaya Leaves Might Cause Miscarriage
Asian Research Journal of Gynaecology and Obstetrics,
Page 1-9
Abstract
Background: The use of Carica papaya leaves in folklore medicine for its antimalarial and antidiabetic activities is on the increase globally.
Aim: This was undergone to investigate if C. papaya leaves have the propensity to induce miscarriage during pregnancy.
Methods: Fresh and healthy leaves of C. papaya free from the disease were harvested from the culture garden of the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training, Moor Plantation, Ibadan. They were dried and extracted using Soxhlet apparatus and ethanol as the solvent. The toxicity test was carried out using the standard method. Thirty each of fertile male and female Wistar rats were taken for this study. After seven days of acclimatization, the female rats were separated into different cages and had estrus synchronization using Diethylstilbestrol dissolved in paraffin oil and administered at the dose of 1 mg/kg body weight. The male rats were then introduced into those each cages for mating process. After getting the confirmation of pregnancy test, the pregnant rats were grouped into the group of four. First group (Group A) was treated with normal saline, other groups (B, C, D) were treated with undiluted leaf extract of C. papaya for 24, 48 and 72 hours respectively. The animals were then observed daily if they littered. In vitro effects of the leaves on isolated rat uteri were determined following the standard method.
Results: Ethanolic leaf extract of C. papaya was safe in rats at the tested oral doses (500–2000 mg/kg). There was no mortality within the study period. In the in vitro experiment, C. papaya leaf extract elicited dose-dependent multiple contractions of the pregnant rat's uterus. 20% of animals treated with C. papaya leaf extract for 24 hours did no litter which suggestive that miscarriage has occurred. In the animals treated for 48 hours, only 60% littered which is also suggestive that miscarriage has occurred in the remaining 40% that did not litter. In the group treated with C. papaya leaf extract for 72 hours, 80% of the animals did not litter.
Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that papaya leaves contain active agents which could be toxic to the uterus. Thus, care should be taken in its use during pregnancy. However, this does not automatically translate to the same effect in humans; therefore, its effect on pregnant women can be further confirmed.
Keywords:
- Carica papaya
- pregnancy
- miscarriage
- oxytocin
- ethanolic leaf extract.
How to Cite
References
[ISBN: 0-8385-0592-9]
Gimpl G, Fahrenholz F. Oxytocin receptor system: Structure, function, and regulation Physiol Rev. 2001;81:629–83.
Ganong WF. Central regulation of visceral functions in Review of Medical Physiology 16th edition 1993;217-222&411-412
[ISBN: 0-8385-8234-6]
Reimers TJ. Hormones of the neurohypophysis in veterinary endocrinology and reproduction Ed. Mcdonald. Fifth edition. 2003;26-27.
Lee H, Macbeth A, Pagani J, Young WR. Oxytocin: The great facilitator of life. Prog Neurobiol. 2009;88:127–51.
Nwankudu, N. O., Ndibe, N. U., & Ijioma, S. N. (2015). Oxytocic effect of Ananas comosus fruit juice on isolated pregnant rats uteri. Nigerian Veterinary Journal. 36(4):1318-1326.
Huffmeijer R, Alink LR. Tops M. Salivary levels of oxytocin remain elevated for more than two hours after intranasal oxytocin administration. Neuro Endocrinol. Lett. 2012;33(1):21–25.
Granner DK. Pituitary and hypothalamic hormones in Harper‟s biochemistry Ed. 2000;550-558.
[ISBN: 0-8385-3684-0]
Alexandria AB, Soloff HE. The effect of calcium deposit on smooth Muscles Reprod. Genet. 1979;14(9):495-496.
Marieb EN. Pregnancy and human development in human anatomy and physiology. 1992;974-994.
[ISBN: 0-8053-4120-X]
Munoz V, Sauvain M, Bourdy G, Callapa J, Rojas I, Vargas L. The search for natural bioactive compounds through a multidisciplinary approach in Bolivia Part II. Antimalarial activity of some plants used by Mosetene indians. J Ethnopharmacol. 2000;69:139-155.
Mello VJ, Gomes MT, Lemos FO, Delfino JL, Andrade SP, Lopes MT. The gastric ulcer protective and healing role of cysteine proteinases from Carica candamarcensis. Phytomedicine. 2008;15: 237-244.
Seigler DS, Pauli GF, Nahrstedt A, Leen R. Cyanogenic allosides and glucosides from Passiflora edulis and Carica papaya. Phytochemistry. 2002;60:873-882.
Emeruwa AC. Antibacterial substance from Carica papaya fruit extract. J Nat Prod. 1982;45:123-127.
Airaodion AI, Airaodion EO, Ekenjoku JA, Ogbuagu EO, Ogbuagu U. Antiplasmodial potency of ethanolic leaf extract of Carica papaya against Plasmodium berghei in Infected swiss albino mice. Asian Journal of Medical Principles and Clinical Practice. 2019;2(2):1-8
Huet J, Looze Y, Bartik K, Raussens V, Wintjens R, Boussard P. Structural haracterization of the papaya cysteine protinases at low pH. Biochem Biophy Res Commun. 2006;341:620-626.
Dominguez de Maria P, Sinisteraa JB, Tsai SW, Alcantara AR. Biotech Adv. 2006;24: 493-499.
Okeniyi JA, Ogunlesi TA, Oyelami OA, Adeyemi LA. Effectiveness of dried Carica papaya seeds against human intestinal parasitosis: A pilot study. J Med Food. 2007;10:493-499.
Airaodion AI, Ogbuagu EO, Airaodion EO, Ekenjoku JA, Ogbuagu U. Pharmaco-therapeutic effect of methanolic extract of Telfairia occidentalis leaves on glycemic and lipidemic indexes of alloxan-induced diabetic rats. International Journal of Bio-Science and Bio-Technology. 2019;11(8): 1-17.
Airaodion AI, Ogbuagu EO, Ekenjoku JA, Ogbuagu U, Airaodion EO. Therapeutic effect of methanolic extract of Telfairia occidentalis leaves against acute ethanol-induced oxidative stress in Wistar rats. International Journal of Bio-Science and Bio-Technology. 2019;11(7):179-189.
Miller LC, Tainter MC. Estimation of the LD50 and its errors by means of the logarithmic-probit graph paper. Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med. 1944;57:261-264.
Airaodion AI, Ogbuagu EO, Okoroukwu VN, Ekenjoku JA, Ogbuagu U, Airaodion EO. Does Chrysophyllum albidum Fruit (Cherry) Induce Abortion/Miscarriage or Not. International Journal of Research and Reports in Gynaecology. 2019;2(1):1-7.
Robinson GE. Pregnancy loss. Best practice & research. Clinical Obstetrics & Gynaecology. 2014;28(1):169–178.
Vaiman D. Genetic regulation of recurrent spontaneous abortion in humans. Biomedical Journal. 2015;38(1):11–24.
Chan YY, Jayaprakasan K, Tan A, Thornton JG, Coomarasamy A, Raine-Fenning NJ. Reproductive outcomes in women with congenital uterine anomalies: A systematic review. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology. 2011;38(4): 371–382.
Airaodion AI, Ogbuagu EO, Airaodion EO, Ogbuagu U, Ekenjoku JA. Antidiabetic effect of ethanolic extract of Carica papaya leaves in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. American Journal of Biomedical Science & Research. 2019;11(8):93-109.
Carp HJ, Selmi C, Shoenfeld Y. The autoimmune bases of infertility and pregnancy loss. J Autoimmun (Review). 2012;38(2–3):J266–74.
Airaodion AI, Okoroukwu VN, Ogbuagu EO, Ogbuagu U. In vitro and in vivo evaluation of Ananas comosus fruit (pineapple) on abortion/miscarriage in Wistar rats. International Journal of Bio-Science and Bio-Technology. 2019; 11(9):69-75.
Xiao CW, Murphy BD, Sirois J. Goff AK. Downregulation of oxytocin-induced cyclooxygenase-2 and prostaglandin F2∞ Synthase expression by interferon-T in Endometrial cells. Boil. Reprod. 1999;60: 656-663.
-
Abstract View: 15944 times
PDF Download: 4508 times