• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.530-536
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• 2014

Root barks of Paeonia suffruticosa Andrews (PS) was reported as contraindicated drugs of pregnancy by many Korean medical classics. Recently, a major ingredient component of PS, paeonol was reported that has contraceptive effect on early pregnancy in rats. However, the accurate molecular mechanism is not clear. In this study, we showed that PS decreased the expression of receptor for leukemia inhibitory factor (LIFR) in human endometrial Ishikawa cells at non-toxic dose, although the expression of leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) was increased by PS. In addition, PS inhibited the adhesion of human trophoblastic JAR cells onto Ishikawa cells. Given importance of LIF-LIFR signaling pathway in the process of embryo implantation, the decreased LIFR expression by PS will be a good explanation on the PS- or its ingredient compounds-induced contraception.