Non-hormonal post-coital contraceptive action of neem oil in rats.
Neem oil, a natural product of Azadirachta indica was investigated for various hormonal properties in relation to its post-coital contraceptive action. At subcutaneous doses up to 0.3 ml/rat, neem oil did not possess any estrogenic, anti-estrogenic or progestational activity and appeared not to interfere with the action of progesterone. These findings were confirmed using the histo-architecture of the uterus of treated rats. Since the post-coital contraceptive effect of neem oil seems to be non-hormonal, neem oil would be expected to elicit less side effects than the steroidal contraceptives.
School of Studies in Zoology, Jiwaji University, Gwalior, India.
A O
AO
Prakash
R K
RK
Tewari
R
R
Mathur
D000818:Animals; D003281:Contraceptives, Postcoital; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004958:Estradiol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D045166:Estradiol Congeners; D004965:Estrogen Antagonists; D005260:Female; D005989:Glycerides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D011374:Progesterone / Q000494:pharmacology; D045167:Progesterone Congeners; D011372:Progestins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013729:Terpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014599:Uterus / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects
D003281:Contraceptives, Postcoital; D045166:Estradiol Congeners; D004965:Estrogen Antagonists; D005989:Glycerides; D010938:Plant Oils; D045167:Progesterone Congeners; D011372:Progestins; D013729:Terpenes; C002443:neem oil; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; C023482:estradiol dipropionate