Anti-Ovulatory Effects of Lepidine in Female Wistar Rats

Abstract

Combined oral contraceptives (COCs) are prepared using synthetic progesterone, estrogen and serve as most convenient, safe, effective, and reversible method of contraception. Due to their side effects in most women, herbal medicines have been proposed as alternatives to these contraceptive methods. The present study was aimed at evaluating the antifertility effects of lepidine, isolated from Lepidium sativum, via in-silico and in vivo experimentation on female Rattus norvergicus (Wistar albino rats). Human homolog of Progesterone receptor (Pgr), which is 95.4% identical to the rat Pgr, was retrieved from the Protein Data Bank (PDB) for molecular docking evaluation. Schrödinger Suite was used for protein and ligand preparation. Schrödinger Glide with XP calculations were carried out to calculate the Glide Score, with human Pgr as receptor and Lepidine as a ligand. To further investigate the in vivo anti-fertility effects of lepidine on estrous cycle and its correlation with serum progesterone, adult Rattus norvergicus (Wistar albino rats) was administered with 10, 20 and30mg lepidine/kg body weight dissolved in DMSO: PBS (1:4) vehicle for 15 days. Vaginal smear samples were collected for cytological studies and progesterone hormone level in the serum was estimated through ELISA. In-silico observation has shown that lepidine has strong affinity with human progesterone receptors. Serum progesterone level was found to be maintained throughout the estrous cycle. This shows that the lepidine might be working as anti-ovulatory agent by acting as a phyto progesterone.