Seed extracts of a Bangladeshi medicinal plant Abrus precatorius L. show antifertility activity in female rats

Abstract

SUMMARYThe seed powder of Abrus precatorius L. has traditionally been used as oral contraceptive agent by the women in some rural areas in Bangladesh. The present study aimed to examine the antifertility activity of A. precatorius seed extracts in experimental female rats. Finely ground seeds were extracted with aqueous acetone followed by successive partitioning with n-hexane, ethyl acetate (EtOAc), methanol (MeOH) and water. Water suspended crude seed powder, organic fractions of acetone extract and a standard contraceptive drug (Nordette ® 28) were separately administered orally to the female rats for 30 days. n-Hexane, EtOAc and MeOH solubles at the doses of 2, 4 and 6 mg/rat/day, respectively and crude seed powder at 100 mg/rat/day exhibited 100% antifertility activity with lowest levels of serum luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and 17β-estradiol. Histological study of ovary and uterus of these rats exhibited reduced number of developing follicles and increased number of atretic follicles in the ovary, and fewer uterine glands with shrunken morphology, reduced endometrial height, poor vascularity and compact stroma in uterus. However, the activities of serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase and serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase and the body weight of the rats remained almost unaffected in all the seed extract treated rats compared to control. These results suggest that A. precatorius seed extracts reduced the levels of serum FSH, LH and 17β-estradiol probably by affecting hypothalamicpituitary-gonadal axis. The reduced levels of these hormones might have affected the oestrous cycle, follicular development, and subsequently the establishment of pregnancy in treated rats.

Infertility Effects of methanol extract of Abrus Precatorius seeds on Reproductive, Hepatic and Renal function in female albino rats

“…The results of the Hormonal Pro le study show the APS administrations in female rats showed a decrease in serum concentrations of FSH, LH, Prolactin and Estradiol and a decrease in progesterone in rats receiving APS compared to control, which showed a signi cant decrease in FSH, LH and estradiol levels caused a decrease and the number of developing follicles and increased the number of atretic follicles in the ovary [22]. Prolactin levels were signi cantly increased in the APS administrations compared to the control group.…”