• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.103-110
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• 2010

The 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 ($Nordette^{(R)}28$) 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 $17{\beta}$-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 $17{\beta}$-estradiol probably by affecting hypothalamic-pituitary-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.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.269-275
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• 1989

Early embryo development and implantation were arrested in ICR mice which were passively immunized with a mouse monoclonal progesterone amtibody given as a single intraperitoneal injection at 12 hrs or 60 hrs post coitum (p. c.). Unimplanted embryos were recovered from the reproductive tract of the antibody-treated mice and none of these progressed to the blastocyst stage. The most pronounced effect was an arrest of embryonic development at a stage prior to cavitation. The plasma progesterone concentration in the blood taken by carbiac puncture increased greatly after the treatment by virtue of high affinity binding by the antibody in circulation. The result showed that passive immunization against progesterone shortly after mating interfered with early hormone dependent steps which were essential for normal embryonic development.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.157-164
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• 1990

Anti-progesterone monoclonal antibody injected intraperitonially as a single dose(100$\mu\textrm{g}$) 48hours post coitum(p.c.) almostly blocked pregnancy in ICR mice. The blocking rate of pregnancy in mice treated with antibody were decreased proportionally according to dose of antibody injected ; the rate were 60%, 57% and 17% as the antibody of 10$\mu\textrm{g}$, 50$\mu\textrm{g}$ and 100$\mu\textrm{g}$ were injected respectively. Blood serum progesterone concentration was greatly increased(21 times) after treatment(100$\mu\textrm{g}$), by virtue of high-affinity binding by antibody in circulation of non-pregnant mice in coompared with that of control group at day 10 p.c.. The concentration was about 1.6 times higher in the pregnant mice than in the non-pregnant mice in antibody treated group. In control group, the progesterone concentration was over 7 times higher in the pregnant mice than in non-pregnant mice at day 5 p.c..

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.609-613
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• 1997

The reproductive performance of forty two male broilers divided into three similar groups and fed on isocaloric and isonitrogneous diets containing 0, 10 or 20% water washed neem seed kernel meal (WWNSKM) was investigated from 20 to 32-wks of age. Results on semen characteristics revealed that feeding of WWNSKM led to significant (p < 0.05) reduction in semen volume, sperm concentration associated with increased incidences of morphological abnormalities in the spermatozoa when compared to that of the control birds. A drastic reduction in the fertilizing ability of spermatozoa was observed, the adverse effects being more at higher inclusion level of the cake. Hatchability of eggs also declined in the WWNSKM fed group. Histological examination of testes revealed a higher number of degenerating cells and poor spermatogenesis along with multinucleated giant cells in the seminiferous tubules of the testes of birds receiving the high dose of WWNSKM in diet. It may be concluded that the feeding of WWNSKM by incorporating in isocaloric and isonitrogneous diets to cockerels is associated with adverse effect on their fertility.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.389-395
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• 2003

Artemisia is a major edible vegetable in Korea and it has traditionally been used as a herbal medicine for the treatment of coughing, abdominal pain, indigestion, bleeding, jaundice, chronic liver disease and diabetes. However the biological and pharmacological actions of the herb have not been studied well. Recently it is known to possess antibacterial, antihelmintic and antifertility activities. But the effect of Artemisia capillaris extract on carbon tetrachloride($CCl_4$) induced liver damage in dogs have not been reported yet. This study was designed to investigate the effect .of Artemisia capillaris crude juice extract on $CCl_4$ induced liver damage in dogs. 30 clinically healthy dogs were divided into 2 groups: crude Artemisia capillaris juice treated group(CEC group) and carbon tetrachloride($CCl_4$) administerd group. The results are as follows: I. The degree of increase in AST activity and ALT activity in CEC group was lower than that in $CCl_4$ group and the recovery in CEC group was faster than that in $CCl_4$ group. 2. Changes of ALP concentration in CEC group were significant(P < 0.05) but changes of Total-bilirubin concentration were not significant(P < 0.05) in both groups. 3. The recovery of GGT concentration in CEC group was faster than that in $CCl_4$ group. 4. Hematological changes other than MCHC were significant(P < 0.05) in CEC group only and changes of GSH and Met-Hb concentration were significant(P < 0.05) in $CCl_4$ group.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.111-124
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• 2008

In the present study, an attempt has been made to assess whether the effect of benzene extract of Ocimum sanctum leaves on the ultrastructural changes in the epithelial cells of the cauda epididymis, its subsequent recovery in the seminiferous epithelium and fertility of male albino rats. Wistar strain male albino rats were orally administered benzene extract of 250 mg/kg body weight of O. sanctum leaves followed by subsequent recovery maintaining suitable controls for 48 days. Results indicate decrease in the weights of testis, epididymis and seminal vesicles. Other accessory organs were not affected. Total count, cell and nuclei diameters of germ cells and Leydig cells were reduced. Cauda epididymis exhibited significant reduction in epithelial height and nuclei diameter of epithelial cells. Cells showed vacuolization with exhibit of signs of degeneration. Ultra study revealed that, in general, the cauda epididymis was affected and in particular, the principal, clear and basal cells were highly disturbed. Further, there was decrease in the size of lipid droplets, mitochondria, Golgi complex, endoplasmic reticulum and accumulation of lysosomal bodies. Fertility performance test showed no implantation in female rats mated with O. sanctum treated rats. Moreover, their recovery after withdrawal of treatment was observed suggesting that the effect of the treatment is transient and reversible. A recovery period resulted in normal spermatogenesis and fertility, suggesting reversible antispermatogenic and antifertility effects of the plant.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.131-136
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• 2004

3-Monochloro-1,2-propanediol(3-MCPD) is a toxic compound, often present in different foods containing acid hydrolyzed(AH) protein, like seasonings and savory food products. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of 3-MCPD on male fertility, sperm and testosterone secretion. In vivo male fertility test was performed for observing the adverse effects of 3-MCPD on the function of male reproductive system and pregnancy outcome. 0.01, 0.05, 0.25, 1 and 5 mg/kg b.w. of 3-MCPD was given daily by gavage to groups of 15 adult male SD rats for 4 weeks. At the end of pre-treatment period, males were mated overnight with normal females. Following morning, males demonstrating successful induction of pregnancy were sacrificed on that day to assess sperm parameters and histopathology of reproductive organs. The resulting pregnant females were sacrificed on day 20 of gestation to evaluate pregnancy outcome. As a result, four-week paternal administration with 3-MCPD resulted in adverse effects on male fertility and pregnancy outcome without remarkable histopathological changes in testes and epididymides; sperm motility, copulation index and fertility index were markedly decreased in the treated group and numbers of live fetuses showed steep dose-response curves. Also, spermatogenesis was investigated in this experiment. However, no effect was observed on production of sperm in testes treated with 3-MCPD for 4 weeks. Hormone assay was performed for observing the effects of 3-MCPD on testosterone and luteinizing hormone (LH) in blood and testes of male SD rats and cultured primary Leydig cell. In result, significant changes of related hormones did not observed by treatment of 3-MCPD. These results indicated that paternal treatment with 3-MCPD induced spermatotoxic effect, which caused an antifertility on male.