Detection and the quantitative analysis of seeds of crotalaria juncea and lac of ficus religiosa for steroidal hormones

ABSTRACT

As reported in the traditional medicine literature, antifertility properties have been attributed to seeds of Crotalaria juncea and lac of Ficus religiosa. A study was carried out to detect and measure the extent of presence of steroidal hormones of the human reproductive axis, namely, estradiol, progesterone and testosterone, in the seeds of Crotalaria juncea and Ficus religiosa lac. The extracts of the seeds and lac were prepared, and both yielded extracts with two distinct fractions, the upper and lower extracts. The analysis revealed the presence of all these hormones in extracts of both the seeds and lac. In the extract from seeds of Crotalaria juncea, the levels in the upper and lower extracts were 26.070 and 85.210-pg/ml [estradiol], 0.597 and 0.807 ng/ ml [progesterone], while testosterone levels were 1.488 and 10.746 ng/ml, respectively. In Ficus religiosa lac extract, the content in the upper and lower portions were 55.010 and 64.610pg/ml [estradiol], 0.417 and 0.312 ng/ml [progesterone], while testosterone levels were 2.276 and 1.006 ng/ml. The presence of these hormones, and their concentration in seeds and lac could be a reason for the fertility regulating property of these seeds and lac