The potential role of grape (Vitis vinifera L.) in prevention of threatened abortion via immunomodulatory and antiinflammatory abilities: a hypothesis

Threatened abortion is a common problem in early pregnancy. This early vaginal bleeding happens in about 25% of pregnant women. The medications including progesterone, uterine muscle relaxant or human chorionic gonadotropin have essential effects in developing pregnancy, but the clinical data are insufficient to prescribe them. In recent decades, medicinal herbs can help us to present new treatments. Grape (Vitis vinifera L.) can protect the fetus from the perspective of Persian medicine. So, we hypothesize about the salutary effects of grape in miscarriage prevention. We found five standard expected mechanisms of grape to prevent threatened abortion:immunomodulatory and antiinflammatory, antioxidant, anticontraction, hormonal and antistress activities. Grape reduces nitric oxide, prostaglandin E2, expression of nuclear factor κB and other proinflammatory cytokines like IL (Interleukin)1β, IL6, IL8, and tumor necrosis factorα. It also elevates antiinflammatory mediators and expression of peroxisome proliferatoractivated receptorγ. Grape polyphenols have a crucial role in fetus protection with high antioxidant power and other functions such as prevention of stresstriggered abortion with proanthocyanidins, or hormonal effects and inhibition of uterine contractions with resveratrol. So according to these studies, grape probably has effects on the immune and endocrine factors involved in threatened miscarriage.