Gac Med Mex. 1998 Sep-Oct; 134(5): 611-5.

[Cardiorespiratory depression in 8 newborn infants whose mothers took "yucuyahui" (Zoapatle-Montanoa tomentosa) during labor]

Montoya-Cabrera MA, Simental-Toba A, SÃ¡nchez-RodrÃguez S, Escalante-Galindo P, Aguilar-Conteras A.

Departamento de AdmisiÃ³n Continua y ToxicologÃa, Hospital de PediatrÃa, Centro MÃ©dico Nacional Siglo XXI (IMSS), MÃ©xico, D.F.

Yucuyahui (zoapatle-Montanoa tomentosa), is a wild herb used as a folk oxytocic-remedy. Eight pregnant women drank infusions of the herb during the labor and their newborns showed cardiorespiratory depression that needs basic or advanced life support to recover. They improved during the first minutes with an average Apgar score at one minute of 4.5, and 7.4 at ten minutes (p < 0.05). A negative correlation was found between the number of ingested infusions and the Apgar score at the one minute (r = -0.65). Simultaneous administration of alcoholic beverages in three of the pregnant woman did not contribute to deep depression in their neonates. The mechanism of M Tomentosa action is still unknown, but it is possible that it is similar to other oxytocic-drugs, as oxytocin or ergot alkaloids, with which Montanoa shares uterine and systemic effects.