Abortifacient Activity of <i>Pleioceras Barteri</i> Baill. In Rats

Abstract

Pleioceras barteri Baill. (Apocynaceae), an erect shrub of about 4m high is widely used as abortifacient, emmenagogue in herbal medicine. However, the research was carried out to substantiate or refute this claim. The methanolic extract of the root, stem, seed, leaf, pericarp and the fractions (n-hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol) of the methanolic leaf extract of P. barteri were screened for their abortifacient effect. Rats in their 12th day of pregnancy (150–220g) were randomized into three groups. Group A (control) was orally administered normal saline, group B and C received 400 mg/kg and 1500 mg/ kg of the extracts respectively from day12 to 14 of pregnancy and observed for bleeding or abortion. The fractions were administered intraperitoneally at three doses (200, 300, 400 mg/kg). The rats were laparotomised under ether anesthesia on 17th day of the pregnancy and both uterine horns were examined for the number of implantation sites, resorptions, live and dead foetuses. The 400 mg/kg of the leaf extract gave 57.14 % abortifacient activity and resorptions, whereas 1500 mg/ kg of the leaf extract and 400mg/kg of the methanolic fraction of the leaf produced 100% abortion. There was a significant difference (p<0.05) between the leaf extract and the control with other morphological parts.The study thus established the abortifacient activity of Pleioceras barteri.

Keywords: Pleioceras barteri; Acute toxicity; Abortifacient.