Molecular mechanisms of a traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of dysfunctional uterine bleeding

Abstract Dysfunctional uterine bleeding (DUB) is a common gynecological disease regulated by multiple hormones, which seriously affects female physical and mental health. Some drugs have been prompted to cure this disease, but most drugs have certain side effects and limitations. In the present study, we demonstrated an unexploited Chinese traditional medicine, a combination of Saururus chinensis, Celosia cristata and Spatholobus suberectus (Referred to as XBR), was capable of exerting hemostatic, coagulation and anti-inflammatory effects on SD rats. Furthermore, the XBR decreased the value of erythrocyte, hemoglobin, and hematocrit in serum for lowering blood stasis caused by DUB. Further studies were conducted to provide direct evidence that the recovery of endometrial hyperplasia was associated with the modulation of the hormones (follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, estradiol and progesterone). Besides, XBR altered mRNA expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase-1 and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-1 on the uterine endometrium, thereby promoting the repair of proliferating endometrium in the rats. Collectively, our study indicates that XBR harbors a profoundly curative effect on the treatment of DUB, and explains the mechanism at the molecular and genes expression levels.