Preliminary study on antifertility activity of Enicostemma axillare leaves and Urena lobata root used in Indian traditional folk medicine

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the possible antifertility activity of Enicostemma axillare (E. axillare) leaves and Urena lobata (U. lobata) root in adult male Wistar albino rats.@*METHODS@#Six groups of rats were treated with ethanolic (70%v/v) extracts of E. axillare (375 and 750 mg/kg body weight) and U. lobata root (300 and 600 mg/kg body weight) once daily for 55 days. Control groups received the distilled water and vehicle. All the treated rats had corresponding recovery groups. At the end of each treatment periods, animals were killed and organ weights, sperm characteristics, testicular and epididymal biochemicals as well as testicular enzymes were assessed.@*RESULTS@#The E. axillare and U. lobata at tested doses did not decrease body weight, whereas the weight of testes, epididymides and seminal vesicles were significantly (P<0.01) reduced. Significantly (P<0.01) more reductions in the sperm motility, viability and counts, epididymal and testicular protein contents were noted in the rats treated with higher dose of both the plants. Both the plants at the higher dose caused a marked increase (P<0.01) in sperm morphological abnormalities, testicular cholesterol and ascorbic acid contents were remarkably increased (P<0.01), while, the activities of testicular glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PDH) and Δ(5)-3β-hydroxy steroid dehydrogenase (Δ(5)-3β-HSD) were significantly reduced (P<0.01). However, reversal of these changes occurred after 55 days of treatment withdrawal.@*CONCLUSIONS@#This study suggests that the E. axillare leaves and U. lobata root reversibly inhibited spermatogenesis and steroidogenesis indicating reversible antifertility activity which could partially support the traditional of these plants as male contraceptives.

Reversible antispermatogenic and antisteroidogenic activities of Feronia limonia fruit pulp in adult male rats

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the antispermatogenic and testicular antisteroidogenic activities of Feronia limonia fruit pulp southern India.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fourty Wistar male albino rats (Rattus norvegicus) were equally divided into four groups. Experimental groups were administered with the ethanolic extract of Feronia limonia (F. limoni) fruit pulp at doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg body weight once daily for 55 days. All treated rats had corresponding recovery groups. At the end of each treatment periods, various spermatological indices, tissue biochemicals and testicular enzymes levels were analysed. Blood profiles were also estimated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the control, the F. limonia fruit pulp at both dose levels did not decrease body weight, which were associated with decline in epididymal sperm count, motility, viability and increased percent of abnormal sperm. Further, F. limonia fruit pulp at 500 mg/kg body weight markedly reduced the epididymal and testicular protein content by 24.58% and 29.86%, respectively, as well as the glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and Δ(5)-3β-hydroxy steroid dehydrogenase) levels by 42.82% and 38.08%, respectively, while a significant elevation was observed in testicular cholesterol and ascorbic acid content. A gradual recovery of all parameters was observed after 55 days of treatment withdrawal. No significant alterations in haematological indices were observed.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The present findings indicate that F. limonia fruit pulp may have reversible antispermatogenic and antisteroidogenic properties, and could partially support the traditional use as male contraceptive.</p>

Antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities of Ervatamia coronaria stapf. leaves

The present study was carried out to evaluate the antioxidant and free radical scavenging activity of methanolic extract of Ervatamia coronaria leaves [Apocynaceae] in various systems. DPPH radical, superoxide anion radical, nitric oxide radical and hydroxyl radical scavenging assays were carried out to evaluate the antioxidant potential of the extract. The antioxidant activity of methanolic extract increased in a dose dependent manner. About 50, 100, 250 and 500 micro g of methanol extract of Ervatamia coronaria [MEEC] showed 61.33, 66.21, 72.04 and 76.83% inhibition respectively on peroxidation of linoleic acid emulsion. Like antioxidant activity, the effect of MEEC on reducing power increases in a dose dependent manner. In DPPH radical scavenging assay the IC[50] value of the extract was found to be 167.09 micro g/ml. MEEC was found to inhibit the nitric oxide radicals generated from sodium nitroprusside. The IC[50] value was found to be 83.375 micro g/ml, whereas the IC[50] value of curcumin was 20.4 micro g/ml. Moreover, the MEEC was found to scavenge the superoxide generated by PMS/NADH-NBT system. MEEC was also found to inhibit the hydroxyl radical generated by Fenton's reaction, where the IC[50] value of MEEC was found to be more than 1000 micro g/ml and for catechin the IC[50] value was found to be 5 micro g/ml, which indicates the prooxidant activity of MEEC. The amounts of total phenolic compounds were also determined in this study. The results obtained in the present study indicate that the MEEC can be a potential source of natural antioxidant