title: Preliminary study on antifertility activity of Enicostemma axillare leaves and Urena lobata root used in Indian traditional folk medicine.
abstract: 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.
authors: Department of Pharmaceutics, Kakatiya Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pembarthi (V), Hasanparthy (M), Warangal, Andhra Pradesh, India-506 371. ramaiyandhanapal@gmail.com
authors: Ramaiyan
authors: R
authors: Dhanapal
authors: J Vijaya
authors: JV
authors: Ratna
authors: Malaya
authors: M
authors: Gupta
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Sarathchandran
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D003272:Contraceptive Agents, Male / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005298:Fertility / Q000187:drug effects*; D005837:Genitalia, Male / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D029965:Gentianaceae; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D019660:Malvaceae; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves; D018517:Plant Roots; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000187:drug effects; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D003272:Contraceptive Agents, Male; D010936:Plant Extracts