Tincture of motherwort during pregnancy: to take or not to take

Considering that the question - whether the tincture of the motherwort can be used during pregnancy - is asked quite often, we decided to understand the therapeutic possibilities of this popular herbal sedative.

Indications for use of motherwort tincture during pregnancy

The question mark is put in the title of this section not accidentally. Probably, you met statements that herb Leonorka (Herba Leonuri) during pregnancy simply has no alternative in the fight against increased anxiety and nervous tension, which often accompanies pregnancy ...

But, according to the official instruction, there are only contraindications to the use of the motherwort tincture during pregnancy and lactation. The reason seems to be obvious: such a dosage form as tincture (or alcohol extract) is always done on purified 40-90% medical alcohol, and a motherwort tincture cooked on 70% alcohol is no exception.

The general calming effect of the motherwort tincture determines the range of indications for its use: an increased level of nervous excitability, neurosis, a hysterical state, an asthenic syndrome, problems with falling asleep. However, in the first place, this medicinal plant is used as an effective cardiotonic agent, which increases the strength of myocardium contractions and slows their rhythm in tachycardia. Many people help with the initial stage of arterial hypertension.

It should be borne in mind that among the general contra-indications of this tincture, except for pregnancy, there are arterial hypotension, exacerbations of ulcerative diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and children's age. And with pathologies of the liver, alcoholism, brain diseases and craniocerebral trauma, this drug should be used with great care.

Pharmacodynamics tincture motherwort during pregnancy ... And not only

Those who believe that only the presence of alcohol causes contraindications to the use of a motherwort tincture during pregnancy, information on the mechanism of the pharmacological action of this remedy will help to understand this question. And the action of motherwort on the body is related to its chemical composition.

According to the analysis of the biochemical composition of the motherwort, it contains cardiac glycosides (or cardiotonic steroids). They act in a special way on the membrane of the cells of the sensitive endings of the nerves of the myocardium and the vagus nerve, which leads to an increase in systolic contractions of the heart and, at the same time, an extension of the diastole. As a result, the heart begins to work in a more "economical" mode, blood circulation is normalized, which, of course, positively affects the functions of all organs. In particular, the kidneys begin to work more actively, which is why the diuretic (diuretic) effect of cardiac glycosides is connected.

There are flavonoids (quercetin, quinqueloside, cosmosine) and flavonols (rutin, hyperoside, kaempferol) that have hypotensive effect, that is, weaken the tone of the walls of blood vessels. Therefore, tincture of motherwort reduces blood pressure.

The bitter glucosides of the iridoid group (leonuride, galliridoside, ayugol) found in the desert, work as tranquilizers and give a calming effect. Also in this plant there are organic and phenolcarbonic acids, coumarins and saponins, tannins, terpenes, sterols, etc.

Why is tincture of motherwort during pregnancy contraindicated?

Perhaps, recommending a pregnant woman to calm her nerves with the help of a "harmless" and "perfectly natural" tincture of the motherwort, the doctor simply does not have a clear idea of her composition. We will not talk about all the substances mentioned in the herbaceous motherwort, but only two - leonurine and L-stachidrine.

The biologically active leonurin alkaloid is studied by pharmacologists around the world, since the spectrum of its therapeutic possibilities is extremely extensive. It is an antioxidant and neuroprotective agent, exhibits cardioprotective and anti-inflammatory qualities. Another alkaloid, L-stachydrin (a derivative of N-methylpyrrolidine-a-carboxylic acid), due to the presence of the pyrrolidine nucleus, refers to psychoactive substances that excite the neurotransmitters of the nervous system by stimulating the brain. In addition, both these alkaloids have an uterotonic effect on smooth muscles, including the muscular wall of the uterus, enhancing the contractile activity of the myometrium.

In alternative medicine, from time immemorial, the herb of the motherwort was treated with various female diseases (for example, painful menstruation), and also drank decoctions with a delay in menstruation. This plant was used not only by our healers: the stimulating effect of the decoction of the motherwort on the uterus was recognized by the doctors of the Indian tribes of the Delawares, Cheyenne, Cherokee, Navah. In the same way, this medicinal plant was used and is still used in China.

In general, now it is perfectly clear to everyone that it is impossible to take a motherwort tincture to pregnant women. And in a series of "Monographs on Selected Medicinal Plants" in 4 volumes published by WHO in 1999-2009, it is written in black and white: motherwort tincture during pregnancy, as well as other medicinal forms of preparations with motherwort - water infusions and decoctions - are contraindicated.