A Critical Review and Scientific Prospective on Contraceptive Therapeutics from Ayurveda and Allied Ancient Knowledge

Abstract

Commonly used synthetic or prescribed hormonal drugs are known to interfere with the endocrine system and may have adverse reproductive, neurological, developmental, and metabolic effects in the body. These may also produce adverse effects such as polycystic ovarian disorder, endometriosis, early puberty, infertility or toxicity to gonads, testicular germ cell cancer, breast or prostate cancer, brain developmental problems, and even birth defects. Globally, the emergence of renewed interest in natural products for reproductive health is on the rise, which offers opportunities for new contraceptive developments. The search for alternate, safer contraceptive products or agents of natural origin is of scientific interest. Ayurvedic classical texts offer knowledge and information about the reproductive function and therapeutics including those for enhancement and limiting male and female fertility. Review of ancient, medieval, and recent—including texts on erotica that provide information on approaches and large numbers of formulations and drugs of plant, mineral or animal origin—claimed to have sterilizing, contraceptive, abortifacient, and related properties is presented. Few among these are known to be toxic and few are not so common. However, most of the formulations, ingredients, or modes of administration have remained unattended to, due to issues related to consumer compliance and limitations of standardization and lack of appropriate validation modalities. Several of these ingredients have been studied for their phytoconstituents and for the variety of pharmacological activities. Efforts to standardize several classical dosage forms and attempts to adapt to modern technologies have been made. List of formulations, ingredients, and their properties linked with known constituents, pharmacological, biological, and toxicity studies have been provided in a series of tables. The possible effectiveness and safety of selected formulations and ingredients have been examined. Suggestions based on new drug delivery systems integrated with advances in biotechnology, to provide prospects for new therapeutics for contraception, have been considered. Ayurveda is built on a holistic paradigm of biological entity rather than limited gonadal functions. Graphic presentation of a few carefully chosen possibilities has been depicted. New approaches to standardization and ethnopharmacological validation of natural contraceptive therapeutics may offer novel mechanisms and modalities and therapeutic opportunities to satisfy unmet needs of contraception.

Herbal Agents Having Abortive Activity

“…The Central Drug Research Institute, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research under the Ministry of Science and Technology, and the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences under the Ministry of Health have all expressed an interest in the quest for contraception based on traditional Ayurvedic knowledge (now Ministry of AYUSH), agencies of the Indian government. Additional private Organizations in the industry had already conducted studies [13] . For women who experience difficulties using or don't have access to modern contraceptives, herbal contraceptives offer alternatives, especially for those living in rural parts of developing countries with dense populations, such as Bangladesh, India, China, and Africa (Nigeria).…”

New Zealand Rabbit Spermatozoa Concentration after Giving of Beluntas Leaf Tannin Extract (Pluchea indica)

“…Pada kenyataannya obat tradisional antifertilitas pria belum banyak dilakukan penelitian terutama antifertilitas peroral. Penggalian potensi bahan alam untuk antifertilitas sangat penting untuk dikaji secara mendalam (Ajayi et al, 2016;Bhatt & Deshpande, 2021;Dias et al, 2014). Tanaman beluntas merupakan salah satu yang dikembangkan sebagai obat tradisional antifertilitas pria (Susetyarini, 2018).…”

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“…[1] Literature showed these were used in traditional/folkloric system of medicine for centuries for contraception or fertility control by ancient people without knowing their active principles. [2] Besides, fertility controls that these plant materials were used for the treatment of other diseases, where they were found to put adverse effects on reproductive, neurological, developmental, and metabolism in the body. In Ayurveda, so many plant-based drugs and formulations are available which have been standardized and its ethnopharmacological values are known but chemistry is still lacking.…”