Cornus officinalis Siebold & Zucc. ethanol extract alleviates primary dysmenorrhea via anti-inflammatory and spasmolytic effects: network pharmacology and experimental verification.

This study investigated the effects and mechanisms of Cornus officinalis Siebold & Zucc. ethanol extract (COEE) on primary dysmenorrhea (PD). COEE administration dose-dependently reduced writhing times, prolonged writhing latency, decreased uterine prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) levels and pro-inflammatory mediators, and improved histopathological signs of uterine inflammation. Furthermore, COEE suppressed the activation of the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling axis. In ex vivo experiments, COEE inhibited spontaneous and agonist-induced uterine contractions, attenuated CaCl2-induced contractile recovery, and reduced Bay K 8644 evoked Ca2+-mediated contractions. Collectively, our findings suggested that COEE alleviates PD by attenuating uterine inflammation and abnormal calcium-dependent contractions, supporting its potential use as a functional food source for managing PD.