Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 20, 2026

Electrophoretic Delivery of γ-aminobutyric Acid (GABA) into Epileptic Focus Prevents Seizures in Mice
Published on: May 16, 2019
Leptin--a tocolytic agent for the future?
Rekha Wuntakal1, Tony Hollingworth
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Whipps Cross University Hospital, London E11 1NR, UK. wrekhaw@gmail.com
Abstract:
Leptin - a protein hormone is synthesised in the adipose tissue in humans. Its level therefore should be directly proportional to the amount of adipose tissue in the body. When biopsies of human myometrium from obese women were exposed to leptin, it showed a cumulative inhibitory effect on spontaneous as well as induced contractions. This lead to the proposed theory that leptin may be the cause of dysfunctional labour in obese women leading to increased caesarean section rates. There is an increased rate of post-dated pregnancies in obese women when compared to normal weight women with a consequent increased induction rate in women with a raised body mass index (BMI). Likewise there a decrease in the rate of spontaneous preterm delivery in obese women. These findings suggest that leptin inhibits uterine contractions in these women and this effect could be considered a tocolytic effect on uterine muscle. So could this hormone (leptin) be used as a tocolytic agent for threatened preterm labour in the future?
Related Concept Videos
Heart Failure Drugs: Inotropic Agents
Antiepileptic Drugs: GABAergic Pathway Potentiators
The key GABA pathway potentiators used in epilepsy management are as follows.
Benzodiazepines are a well-known class of drugs used for their...
Treatment for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Endothelin Receptor Antagonists
ETs are synthesized through a complex sequence of enzymatic steps, primarily involving an enzyme referred to as endothelin-converting enzyme (ECE). Of...
Antiepileptic Drugs: Potassium Channel Activators
Ezogabine has gained approval as an adjunctive treatment...
Adrenergic Antagonists: ɑ and β-Receptor Blockers
Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class II Agents as β-Adrenergic Blockers