Antifertility studies of <i>Aegle marmelos</i> Corr., an Indian medicinal plant on male albino rats

Abstract

This experiment tested the antifertility effect of Aegle marmelos. Oral administration of aqueous extract to male rats brought about a highly significant decrease in the weights of testes, epididymis, seminal vesicle, ventral prostate and vas deferens. Sperm motility as well as sperm density in the cauda epididymis was reduced significantly: fertility was reduced by 70%. The sialic acid, protein, glycogen, fructose and ascorbic acid contents of the testes and other reproductive tissues were significantly decreased, while the testicular cholesterol content was significantly elevated. The assays of various hormones reflects the fact that serum testosterone levels reduced significantly in the experimental group, while no changes were observed in the levels of serum estradiol, LH and FSH. There were no significant changes in the total erythrocyte count, total leucocyte count, haemoglobin, haematocrit, blood sugar and blood urea in the blood, nor in acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase, total protein, cholesterol, triglyceride, phospholipid and bilirubin content in the serum, suggesting no ill effects on the physiology of the rats. We conclude that aqueous extract of the leaves of Aegle marmelos has an antispermatogenic/antifertility effect.

Keywords: sperm motility, sperm density, hormonal assays

Egyptian Journal of Biology Vol. 10 2008: pp. 28-35