ABSTRACT
Abstract Asparagus africanus Lam., Asparagaceae, is used traditionally as medicinal plant for treatment of various gastrointestinal disorders and for birth related applications. This study aimed to evaluate anti-implantation potential, screening for bioactive phytochemicals and to determine its toxicity. Thirty healthy rats were distributed into five groups (n = 6). Pregnant rats were orally administered vehicle and aqueous extract A. africanus at three different doses thrice daily for seven days. Misoprostol 300 µg/kg bw was used as positive control. All rats were laparotomized 24 h after the last dose and number of live fetuses, implantations and resorption sites were enumerated, and ovaries were harvested for histopathology. The phytochemical analysis was carried out using LC/MS. Acute toxicity was investigated, the animals were randomly grouped into five groups (n = 3); control, four different doses of aqueous extract A. africanus at a single dose treatment and rats were observed for 14 days. Prenatal study demonstrated that 300 mg/kg bw of extract and misoprostol were significantly increased the percentage of anti-implantation as compared to untreated rats. Histopathology of ovaries showed a dose dependent toxicity. LC/MS revealed the presence of steroidal saponins; asparasaponin II, sarsasapogenin, spirostans, and stigmasterol. The mean weight gain of rats treated with 2000 mg/kg bw of aqueous extract was significantly reduced (p = 0.032) compared to control group. In conclusion, the aqueous extract A. africanus has anti-implantation effect in female rats and is safe up to 2000 mg/kg bw. In addition, it contains some potential steroidal saponins, which could be used to explain its anti-implantation activity, however this finding needs further pharmacological studies to confirm the antifertility activities.
ABSTRACT
AIM@#To evaluate the antifertility activity of Artemisia vulgaris leaves on female Wistar rats.@*METHOD@#The plant extract was tested for its effect on implant formation at two dose levels, 300 and 600 mg·kg⁻¹, respectively. The effective methanolic plant extract was further studied for estrogenic potency on ovariectomised immature female Wistar rats.@*RESULTS@#The data presented in this study demonstrate the antifertility potential of Artemisia vulgaris methanolic leaf extract, which shows a strong and significant decrease in implant formation (100%), and a strong estrogenic effect resulting in a significant increase in uterine weight in immature ovariectomised rats. These observations suggest that the methanolic extract of Artemisia vulgaris leaves has strong anti-implantation activity and estrogenic activity.@*CONCLUSION@#The methanolic plant extract of A. vulgaris has antifertility activity.
Subject(s)
Animals , Female , Artemisia , Contraceptive Agents , Pharmacology , Embryo Implantation , Fertility , Organ Size , Ovariectomy , Phytoestrogens , Pharmacology , Plant Extracts , Pharmacology , Plant Leaves , Rats, Wistar , UterusABSTRACT
Calcium blockers verapamil ( VER ) and nifedipine ( NIF ) appa-rentely inhibited the spontaneous activity of isolated rat oviduct. The 5 min contractile curve aera determined by integrator,after eithet VER or NIF effected, was smaller than that before,with dose dependence.In rats pregnanant for 3d VER and NIF accelerated ovum transport through oviduct. The number of ovum recovered from uterus in test group was more than that in control group. Paired experiments showed VER and NIF having no anti-implantation action.
ABSTRACT
Several comparative studies on anti-implantation and estrogenicities of noret histerone oxime(NETO)and norethisterone(NET) or ethynyl estradiol (EE2)were carried out in order to clarify their relationships. It was observed that NETO was showed much stronger potency than NET, which the anti-implantation, uterotrophic and vaginal cornifi-cation effect were 25, 26, and 21 times, respectively. The ratio of anti-implantation to vaginal cornification of NETO was 14-fold stronger than that of EE2. These results suggest that the increased antiimplantative activity of NETO is related to its stronger estrogenic activity, but other mechanisms contribute to the anti-implantation besides estragenicity.
ABSTRACT
Mice were orally administered Herba Leonuri decoction once 0.1 ml(containing about 50 mg drz drug of Herba Leonuri decoction) totally 4 or 5 times.The results showed that Herba Leonuri exhibits some anti-implanatation and antiearly fertility effect on mice.The effect mechanism and toxity were discussed on the basis of the obtained experimental data.