title: Abortifacient potential of methanolic extract of Anthocephalus cadamba stem bark in mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Medicinal plants possessing abortifacient activity have been used traditionally for a long time in folk medicine. Anthocephalus cadamba, is one such herb that has been known to possess abortifacient potential in ethnobotanical literature, but has not been validated scientifically.
  
  
  METHODS
  The methanolic extract of Anthocephalus cadamba stem bark (MEAC) was prepared and tested for abortifacient, estrogenic and uterotrophic activity. Pregnant Swiss albino mice were randomized into 5 groups (1-5). Group 1 (negative control) received 0.2% w/v agar, group 2-4 (received extract at the dose of 500, 1000 and 1500mg/kg b.w.) and group 5 received mifepristone at a dose of 5.86mg/kg b.w. respectively, by oral route from 10(th) to 18(th) day post-coitum daily, and various parameters recorded. The uterotrophic bioassay was performed in bilaterally ovariectomized mice dosed from 9(th) to 15(th) day of ovariectomy and change in uterotrophic parameters was observed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed presence of glycosides, alkaloids, steroids, saponins, triterpenoids, flavonoids and tannins. No signs of clinical toxicity were observed at any time during the period of treatment. The extract significantly reduced (P<0.05) the number of live fetus, weight and survival ratio of the fetus, number of corpora lutea, progesterone, estradiol and luteinizing hormone whereas the number of dead fetus, number of mice that aborted, percentage vaginal opening and post-implantation loss increased significantly (P<0.05). The estrogenicity experiments showed increase in uterine weight (P<0.05), ballooning of uterus, uterine glucose (P<0.05) and ALP (P<0.001) in extract treated group dose dependently. In addition, the extract also induced vaginal bleeding preceding parturition.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study has substantiated the abortifacient potential of the methanolic extract of Anthocephalus cadamba stem bark. The activity was more marked in 1000 and 1500mg/kg b.w. of the extract and was comparable to that of mifepristone. The mechanism of abortion could possibly be through changes in the uterine mileu, altered hormone levels, luteolysis and partly, estrogenicity. This study thus justifies the ethnobotanical claim of MEAC as an abortifacient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, B. V. Patel Pharmaceutical Education and Research Development Centre, S.G. Highway, Thaltej, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 388054, India; Faculty of Pharmacy, NIRMA University, Sarkhej-Gandhinagar Highway, Gota, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 382481, India.
authors.forename: Muhammad Vaseem
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Shaikh
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, B. V. Patel Pharmaceutical Education and Research Development Centre, S.G. Highway, Thaltej, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 388054, India; Faculty of Pharmacy, NIRMA University, Sarkhej-Gandhinagar Highway, Gota, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 382481, India.
authors.forename: Manika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kala
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, B. V. Patel Pharmaceutical Education and Research Development Centre, S.G. Highway, Thaltej, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 388054, India.
authors.forename: Nirav
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ravat
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, B. V. Patel Pharmaceutical Education and Research Development Centre, S.G. Highway, Thaltej, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 388054, India. Electronic address: manishnivsarkar@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Manish
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nivsarkar
mesh_terms: D000019:Abortifacient Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D000432:Methanol / Q000737:chemistry; D051379:Mice; D024301:Plant Bark; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D018547:Plant Stems; D011247:Pregnancy; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D019666:Rubiaceae; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry; D014599:Uterus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D000019:Abortifacient Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012997:Solvents; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D000432:Methanol
keywords: Abortifacient; Estrogenicity; Ethnobotanical; Folk medicine; Implantation