Journal of Cell and Tissue Research Vol.

16(3) 5817-5819 (2016)

(Available online at www. Tcrjournals.com)
ISSN: 0973-0028; E-ISSN: 0974-0910

Original Article

EFFECT OF METHYLERGOMETRINE MALEATE ON UTERINE

INVOLUTION IN POSTPARTUM COWS
?
ALAGAR. S., SELVARAJU, M., EZAKIALNAPOLEAN, R. AND
DORAISAMY, K. A.
Department of Veterinary Gynecology and Obstetrics, Veterinary College and Research Institute,
Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Namakkal 637 002 (Tamil Nadu).
E. mail: dralagar5489@gmail.com, Cell: 08883612302
Received: July 10, 2016; Accepted August 11, 2016
Abstract: Eighteen Postpartum Holstein Friesian (HF) crossbred cows aged between 2nd and 5th
lactations were selected and randomly divided into 2 experimental groups viz., group I and II
(control). On day 2 Postpartum group I and II cows were treated with an intramuscular injection
of 5 mg methyl ergometrine maleate and 5 ml normal saline, respectively. The cervical involution
progressed rapidly and on day 30 postpartum, the cervix reached the pelvic cavity in group I. The
cervical involution in control cows was slower than treatment group. In both the groups after day
20 postpartum, ridges on the uterus were not palpable, uterine contour was palpable and uterus
was retractable rectally. Ultrasonography of cervix revealed that the cervical diameter was higher
on day 30 postpartum in control group when compared to treatment group. On day 2 postpartum,
the diameter of the uterine body measured by ultrasonography did not vary among treatment and
control groups. In group I (methyl ergometrine maleate), there was a rapid uterine involution
from day 2 to 30 postpartum compared with the control group.
Key words: Methyl ergometrine maleate, Uterine involutionm, Cow

INTRODUCTION
The primary reproductive objective of dairy industry
suggests a 12 months calving interval. Alteration
or extension of postpartum period with failure or
delay in conception results in progressive economic
loss to the poor farming community. The puerperal
period is a critical phase in the reproductive cycle
of dairy cows [1]. Hastening of uterine involution
may shorten the postpartum interval of subsequent
conception. Ergometrine is known to cause
contraction of uterine muscles and it produced a
dose-dependent contraction of non-pregnant uterine
muscle [2]. Roberts [3] opined that postpartum
administration of 13 mg of ergonovine or other
ergot products produced more prolonged rate of

uterine contractions in cows. Methyl ergometrine

maleate pronounced a direct effect on stimulation of
the rate and force of rhythmical uterine contractions
and ability to cause smooth muscle tissue of blood
vessel walls to narrow, thereby reducing blood
flow in rats and human beings [4]. Hence, an
investigation was conducted to assess, the efficacy
of methyl ergometrine maleate on uterine involution
in postpartum cows and rate of uterine involution
was rate was assessed by rectal palpation and
ultrasonographic observations.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The study was conducted at Teaching Veterinary
Clinical Complex, Veterinary Collage and Research

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J. Cell Tissue Research

Table 1: Assessment of cervical and uterine involution by ultrasonography in cows treated with methylergometrine
maleate. means bearing different superscript (p,q,r,s) between rows within a column in each group and between
column (a,b,c,d) within each row differed significantly (p<0.05).
S.No.

Postpartum

Diameter of cervix (mm)

Diameter of the uterine body (mm)

Days

Group I

Group II

Group I

Group II

1.

2nd

44.93p 0.32

45.73p 0.52

47.25p 0.36

47.63p 0.91

2.

10th

38.88bq 0.56

40.88dq 0.54

45.50bq 0.09

46.01dp 0.24

3.

20th

29.25br 0.15

35.72cr 0.23

31.75br 0.15

32.50dq 0.76

4.

30

25.75 0.18

30.38 0.67

25.13 0.82

25.50cr 0.05

th

bs

as

bs

Table 2: Assessment of cervical and uterine involution by rectal palpation in cows treated with methylergometrine
maleate. L.c. Location of cervix; Ac- Abdominal cavity;Pb Pelvic brim, Pc- Pelvic cavity, L.Ut Location of
uterus, Rid - Ridges, R-p Ridges palpable, R-NP- Ridges not palpable, Ret- retractable, P - contour palpable , NP
- contour not palpable .
Cervical involution
Parameters

L.C (per cent)

Day 2

Day 10

GI

G II

Ac

44.44

Pb

44.44

Pc

11.11

Day 20
GI

Day 30

GI

G II

G II

GI

G II

55.56

22.22

44.44

55.56

44.44

33.33

77.78

11.11

77.78

44.44

33.33

66.67

22.22

88.89

22.22

Uterine involution
L. Ut (per cent)

Rid (per cent)

Ret (per cent)
Contour (per cent)

AC

100.00

88.89

66.67

66.67

33.33

Pb

11.11

33.33

33.33

88.89

44.44

77.78

77.78

PC

11.11

22.22

22.22

22.22

R-p

77.78

88.89

100.00

100.00

R-NP

22.22

11.11

100.00

100

100.00

100.00

Yes

55.56

77.78

100.00

100.00

100.00

100.00

No

100.00

100.00

44.44

22.22

66.67

77.78

100.00

88.89

100.00

100.00

NP

100.00

100.00

33.33

22.22

Institute, Namakkal in 18 Holstein Friesian cows aged

between 2nd and 5th lactations. The selected cows
were randomly and equally divided into 2 groups
viz., group I (experiment) and II (control) consisting
of 9 cows in each group. On day 2 postpartum, cows
of group I were administered with an intramuscular
injection of 5 mg methyl ergometrine maleate (5
ml, Utrasafe, Vet Mankind, New Delhi, India)
and group II were injected with 5ml normal saline.
Gross and ultrasonographic evaluation of cervical
and uterine involution in the experimental and
control cows were carried out on day 2, 10, 20 and
30 postpartum. By rectal examination the involution
of cervix and uterus (at the level of bifurcation and
uterine body) was assessed with the help of palm and
fingers. The approximate dimensions ascertained
by palpation were expressed in millimeter. By
ultrasonographic examination the changes in the

diameter of the cervix and body of the uterus at the

level of bifurcation and uterine body were measured
and recorded in millimeter. The collected data was
analyzed statistically as per Snedecor and Cochran
method [5].
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The locations of the cervix and uterus in cows
after treatment with prostaglandin are presented in
Table 1 (Ultrasonographic examination) and Table
2 (Rectal examination) respectively. In the current
study, on day 10 postpartum, in 100 per cent of the
cows, the cervix involuted from abdominal cavity
to pelvic brim or pelvic cavity in all the treatment
groups. The cervical involution progressed rapidly
from day 2 to 30 postpartum, in treated group
cows and the cervix reached the pelvic cavity. The

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Alagar et. al
cervical involution in control cows was slower
than treatment groups. It indicated that methyl
ergometrine maleate was effective to promote
cervical involution in cows with the maximum
effect. In other studies, the involution of cervix was
completed by 24-39 days as per rectal palpation [68]. In this experiment in all the groups after day 20
postpartum, ridges on the uterus were not palpable;
uterine contour was palpable and uterus was
retractable. These findings were in accordance with
the reports of Lech et al. [9] in cows. Between day 2
and 10 postpartum, the involution process of uterus
was more rapid in treatment groups than control
group. It indicated that the uterotonics drugs played
a role in reducing the size of the uterus. Hussain and
Daniel [10] stated that uterine involution could be
observed when the size of the uterus shrunk to its
normal non-gravid state. The duration of complete
uterine involution ranged from 26-52 days after
calving but the changes after 20-25 days postpartum
were generally quite common [11].
There was a significant reduction in diameter
of cervix from day 2 to10 postpartum in all the
treatment and control groups. Similar to this
finding, Atanasov [12] found 45 per cent reduction
in the diameter of the cervix between day1 and 7
postpartum in cows. Sheldon [13] reported the
cervical diameter as <5 cm by 40 days postpartum
in cows. The mean diameter of the cervix on day 2,
10, 20 and 30 in all the treated and control groups
revealed that the cervical involution was more rapid
in treated group than in control group. This might be
due to the differences in the uterotonic efficacy of
methyl ergometrine maleate. In this experiment, on
day 2 postpartum the diameter of the uterine body
measured by ultrasonography did not vary between
treatment and control groups. It is known that
contraction induced by ergometrine agonists was
mainly due to calcium influx through the voltagegated calcium channels opened directly or indirectly
by agonist receptor [14,15]. In methyl ergometrine
maleate treated group, there was a rapid uterine
involution from day 2 to 30 in postpartum cows.
Thus the drug produced prolonged rate of uterine
contraction in cows.

SUMMARY
From this study it is concluded that the administration
of methyl ergometrine maleate during immediate
postpartum period effectively hastened the uterine
involution rate in Holstein Friesian (HF) crossbred
cows.
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