Antifertility potential of leaves and seeds of Delonix regia in female rats

Objective:To evaluate the antifertility activity of hydroalcoholic extract of Delonix regia(Boj.ex Hook.)Raf.leaves and seeds which are traditionally being used by Yanadi tribe to treat dysmenorrhea.Methods:Three experimental animal models,including anti-implantation,early abortifacient,and estrogenic activity in female rats,were used for evaluation of the antifertility activity of both extracts at two dose levels(250 and 500 mg/kg,orally).There were five groups in the anti-implantation and early abortifacient activity while six groups in estrogenic activity including the standard.The number of implants,resorptions,vaginal cornification,body weight,uterus weight,and biochemical parameters were measured.Results:At doses 250 and 500 mg/kg,the leaf extract was found to have strong anti-implantation action.The extract administered at the same doses also caused a significant rise in the number of resorptions,showing early abortifacient activity,increased uterine weight,and altered numerous biochemical parameters.Meanwhile,the seed extract only displayed slight anti-implantation activity at both levels.Conclusions:Based on these preliminary findings,we can conclude that the leaf extract outperformed the seed extract in terms of antifertility activity,exhibiting potent estrogenic,anti-implantation and early abortifacient activities in a dose-dependent manner.These findings are consistent with the literature study and corroborate to the antifertility activity of the plant.

Effect of plumbagin free alcohol extract of Plumbago zeylanica Linn,root on reproductive system of female Wistar rats

Objective:To assess the effect of plumbagin-free alcohol extract（PFAE） of Plumbago zeylanica Linn.（Plumbaginaceae）（P.zeylanica） root,on female reproductive system and ferlility of adult Female wislar rats.Methods:After the oral acute toxicity study,the PFAE was administered at two dose levels to perform the estrous cycle study,anti-implantation and ahortifacient activity and hormonal analysis.However,the estrogenic/antiestrogenic activity was evaluated at only one most effective dose.Results:LD50 cut-off was 5 000 mg/kg body weight.The extract exhibited significant anti-implantation and ahortifacient activity at the tested dose levels（300 and 500 mg/ kg.p.o.）（P【0.01）.The extract dose-dependency decreased the levels of serum progesterone, follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone,while a dose-dependent increase was observed in the concentration of serum prolactin.The extract did not show any significant changes in structure and function of Uterus when given alone,hut when given along with ethinyl estradiol,it exhibited significant antiestrogenic activity in immature overieclonzed female rats（P【0.001） Biochemical parameters in the serun/blood and haematological parameters did not show appreciable changes throughout and after the course of investigation.However,all the altered parameters returned to normalcy within 30 days following withdrawal of treatment. Conclusions:All findings suggest that the anlifcrtility activity of extract could possibly he through the changes in the implantation site,altered hormonal levels,prolonged estrous cycle and anti-estrogenic activity.Hence,the extract possesses reversible antifcrtility activity without adverse toxicity in female rats.

Postcoital Administration of Asoprisnil Inhibited Embryo Implantation and Disturbed Ultrastructure of Endometrium in Implantation Window in Mice

Asoprisnil, a member of the selective progesterone receptor modulators, exerts high proges- terone receptor selectivity, endometrial targeted advantages and significant anti-implantation effect in rats. The purpose of this study was to confirm the anti-implantation effect of asoprisil, investigate the ultrastructural changes of the peri-implantation endometrium in mice and explore the effect of asoprisnil on endometrial receptivity and its targeted contraceptive proficiency. Post-coitus mice were adminis- tered with different dosages （0.2, 0.1, 0.05 mg·g^-1·day^-1） of asoprisnil from day 1 of pregnancy to day 3. Then 3 animals in each group were killed on day 5 of pregnancy, and uteri were collected to examine the ultrastructural changes of endometria under a transmission electron microscope （TEM）. A total of 80 animals were sacrificed on day 8 of pregnancy, and the uterine horns were examined for the presence or absence of nidation sites and the number of implantation embryos. The results showed that the implan- tation rate and the average number of implantation embryos in asoprisnil groups were statistically sig- nificantly decreased as compared with the vehicle control group （P〈0.05）. The TEM results revealed that, in vehicle control group, the tight junction between the luminal epithelia cells was short and straight, the gap was wide; the luminal epithelia cells were covered with plenty of short, clavate and neatly arranged microvilli; the endometril stromal cells were large with plenty of cytoplasm, and showed significant decidual change; there was more than one nucleus in stromal cells, and the karyotheca was integrity. In low dosage and high dosage asoprisnil groups, the tight junction was longer and more curve than in the vehicle control group; microvilli were uneven and asymmetrically distrib- uted in luminal epithelia; the stromal cells were small and the decidual change was not significant; there were karyopyknosis and karyolysis in stromal cells; there were abnormal thick-wall vessels in the en- dometrium. It was suggested that asoprisnil changed the ultrastructure of the endometrium in implantation window, disturbed the endometrial receptivity and finally resulted in embryo implantation failure.