The effect of Apium graveolens L. in progesterone-induced blocking factor (PIBF) during pregnancy

Progesterone-induced blocking factor (PIBF) is crucial to maintain pregnancy and the mother’s progesterone immunomodulation. Herbal medicine is widely used to induce immunity and treat pregnancy-related problems. Apigenin is a flavonoid type from Apium graveolens and could be a potential herbal medicine. The study aimed to evaluate the effective dose of A. graveolens in pregnant mice’s PIBF level on preclinical research and pregnant women on clinical research. Preclinical research used 32 pregnant mice divided into four groups randomly. The first group was the control group (P1), while P2, P3, and P4 groups were the treatment group. Pregnant mice were given 1mg/g (P2), 2mg/g (P3), and 4mg/g (P4) of A. graveolens extract orally for 14 days. Clinical research was completely randomized design. Thirty pregnant women at Mrs. Sri Lumintu Clinic, Surakarta, Indonesia divided into two groups. The treatment group was given A. graveolens capsule 534mg/50 kg BW, Fe, and calcium, while the control group was given Placebo, Fe, and calcium orally for 14 days. PIBF level in both preclinical and clinical was determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Our study showed that A. graveolens with 2mg/g (P3) was the most effective dose to increase PIBF level in pregnant mice. The PIBF level of pregnant women increased significantly in the treatment group compared to the control group (444.78pg/mL and 171.74pg/mL, p = 0.000). A. graveolens supplementation in pregnant women increased PIBF levels during pregnancy and could prevent inflammation during pregnancy.