2021, Vol. 9, Issue 3, Part B

author(s)
Samuel Horner and Teresa DeGolier

abstract
Mitchella repens, commonly known as partridge berry, is an herbal that has a long history of effective treatments for a number of female reproductive concerns including the maintenance of a healthy pregnancy, readiness for labor, and successful labor itself. Documentation for it use comes primarily through traditional medicine and midwifery. Very little empirical research has validated the efficiencies of such claims. Thus, the specific objective of this project was to determine whether Mitchella repens demonstrated oxytocic activities in uterine tissues. Increasing concentrations of aqueous extracts of Mitchella repens were applied directly to isolated mouse uterine horns suspended in an organ bath. Results showed that Mitchella repens produced strong contractile responses that were greater than the tissue’s own spontaneous motility (p < 0.0001), and on average were 80.45% of their own oxytocin positive control. It is likely that the saponin constituent contained within the applied extract is involved with the muscle contractions. The results of this study do provide some empirical support for the claim that Mitchella repens can augment labor contractions and/or potentially induce labor. Even though these contractile responses were collected from isolated studies, they may still function to serve as valid indicators of involvement at an organismic level.