title: Artemisia annua as a possible contraceptive agent: a clue from mammalian rat model.
abstract: In a previous study, we evaluated the maternal and fetal safety of antimalarial herb Artemisia annua with artemisinin yield of 1.09%. Here, we attempted to ascertain the contraceptive claim of A. annua. Sexually matured female Wistar rats (180-220 g) were allotted into four study groups of six rats each. The control group received normal saline, while the A. annua-treated groups received 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg of A. annua for 2 weeks, followed by mating with proven fertile males (1:1). The rats were allowed to carry the pregnancy to term. At birth and weaning periods, selected reproductive outcome and fertility indices were determined. The results showed that A. annua significantly reduced litter size, reproductive outcome and fertility indices compared with the control (p <  0.05). These results imply that A. annua could serve as a prospective contraceptive agent in addition to its antimalarial activity.
authors.affiliation: a Drug Metabolism and Toxicology Research Laboratories, Department of Biochemistry , Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan , Ibadan , Oyo State , Nigeria.
authors.forename: Amos O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Abolaji
authors.forename: Mbeh U
authors.initials: MU
authors.lastname: Eteng
authors.forename: Patrick E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Ebong
authors.forename: Ahsana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dar
authors.forename: Ebenezer O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Farombi
authors.forename: M Iqbal
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Choudhary
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000494:pharmacology; D031172:Artemisia annua / Q000737:chemistry*; D037621:Artemisinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D003271:Contraceptive Agents, Female / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012098:Reproduction
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D037621:Artemisinins; D003271:Contraceptive Agents, Female; C031327:artemisinin
keywords: Artemisia annua; contraceptive effectiveness; fertility indices; reproductive outcome