MEDICINAL PLANT-MEDIATED REGULATION OF RELAXIN HORMONE TO MITIGATE PRETERM BIRTH RISK: A REVIEW AND PROPOSAL FOR FUTURE RESEARCH
Keywords:
To review existing evidence on the role of relaxin in preterm birth, to examine any studies of medicinal plants or plant derived compounds that might influence relaxin expression or action, and to propose experimental and clinical strategies to test and improve plant based interventions for controlling relaxin and reducing preterm birth risk.Abstract
Relaxin is a peptide hormone with roles in cervical remodeling, extracellular matrix modulation, and vasodilation during pregnancy. Elevated relaxin levels, or hyperrelaxinemia, have been associated with preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) and increased risk of spontaneous preterm birth. Currently, conventional pharmacologic options to modulate relaxin are limited, and the potential of medicinal plants (phytomedicines) to regulate relaxin has not been systematically explored.
References
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