These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: Influence of copper ions on uterine activity.
    Author: Laundański T, Kobylec E, Akerlund M.
    Journal: Contraception; 1981 Aug; 24(2):195-202. PubMed ID: 7297070.
    Abstract:
    The influence of copper ions on myometrial activity was tested in nonpregnant rabbits in vitro and in vivo, and nonpregnant women in vivo. In an organ bath, CuCl2 in concentrations of 3 micro M and higher caused a dose-dependent increase in the contractile activity of isolated rabbit myometrium. In rabbits in vivo, intrauterine instillations of 0.2 to 2 mM of CuCl2 in 0.6 ml of saline solution caused a dose-dependent increase of myometrial activity in the uterine horn where it was injected, and the response lasted up to 30 minutes. The activity in the other horn remained unchanged and control injections with saline had no effect. Also, in nonpregnant women, a clear and dose-dependent effect of 1 ml of 0.3 to 3 mM of CuCl2 dissolved in saline was observed after intrauterine instillation. Saline itself in the same volume had no effect. It is estimated that the intrauterine doses of copper which were used in these experiments lead to Cu++ concentrations in the uterine tissues which were similar to those in women carrying a copper IUD, and it is suggested that the copper from such IUDs might have effects on myometrial activity contributing to the contraceptive action and to some of the side-effects of these devices. A study was conducted to determine the influence of copper ions in nonpregnant rabbits "in vitro" and "in vivo" and in nonpregnant women "in vivo." 25 nonpregnant does of Polish strain were housed under standardized conditions of light and feeding. Myometrium from 10 rabbits was used for "in vitro" experiments; the other animals were studied "in vivo." 6 nonpregnant, parous, and gynecologically healthy women of reproductive age participated in the study. The experiments were done within 3 days before onset of menstruation, and the recording sessions lasted for about 3 hours. In the nonpregnant rabbits "in vitro," a clear increase of the amplitude and frequency of contractions was observed with concentrations of CuC12 as low as 3 mcM in the bath fluid. An elevation of the basal tone was observed and with concentrations of 30 mcM and higher a sustained contraction generally occurred. Intravenous injections of 1 ml of CuC12 solution at a concentration of 2mcM were given to 5 rabbits "in vivo." There was no consistent effect on myometrial activity or on arterial blood pressure. A volume of 0.6 ml of saline per se had no effect on the uterine activity in 10 "in vivo" rabbits. CuC12 dissolved in the same volume of saline in concentrations of 0.2 mM resulted in an increase in uterine activity in the majority of rabbits. With 2.0 mM of CuC12 the effect was pronounced in all does. In nonpregnant women a clear and dose-dependent effect of 1 ml of 0.3-3 mM of CuC12 dissolved in saline was observed after intrauterine instillation. Saline itself in the same volume had no effect. It is estimated that the intrauterine doses of copper which were used in these experiments lead to Cu++ concentrations in the uterine tissues which were similar to those in women carrying a copper IUD. The copper from such IUDs might have effects on myometrial activity contributing to the contraceptive action and to some of the side-effects from copper IUDs.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]