RESUMO
The present study was undertaken to evaluate the antispermatogenie efficacy of a combination of Curcuma longa [70% EtOH extract] and Neem bark [50% of EtOH extract] at the ratio of 1:1 in male albino rats. The combination was gavaged to male albino rats at the dose of 500 mg/kg body weight per day for 60 days. The feeding of combination of drugs caused spermatogenic arrest. The sperm motility in the cauda epididymides and sperm density in testes and cauda epididymis were significantly reduced [P<0.001] in the treated group as compared to the controls. Similarly testicular cell population i.e., spermatogonia, primary spermatocytes, secondary spermatocytes and spermatids were reduced significantly in the treated group. The degenerating Leydig cell number was increased significantly. The protein and sialic acid contents of reproductive organs were reduced in the treated group. The Leydig cell nuclear diameter, the epididymal cell height of the caput and cauda epididymides and the weight of the seminal vesicle were also reduced significantly. The two plant extract combination showed a better result as compared to the individual plants previously reported. The combination may act via the Leydig cells