Antifertility properties of Cissamplelos pareira Linn. leaf gel in male and female mice

This study aimed to evaluate the antifertility properties of C. pareira Linn. leaf gel in male mice by evaluation of blood prolactin, testosterone and seminal quality.  In females mice, estrous index, fertility index and prolactin level were determined.  The results for males revealed that the leaf gel at a dose of 30 mg/100 gBW significantly increased blood prolactin, while the leaf gel at 20 and 30 mg/100 gBW decreased testosterone levels in a dose dependent manner (P<0.05).  Interestingly, all doses (10, 20 and 30 mg/100 gBW) of leaf gel caused significant impairement of sperm quality collected from epididymis and vas deferens after 21 days of oral adminitration.  The results for females showed that the leaf gel at 40 and 60 mg/100 gBW caused irregular estrous cycle and inhibited ovulation by decrease in estrous index during the 21 days of treatment.  Meanwhile, it also revealed significant increases in blood prolactin and decreased embryo implantation in pregnant mice after 10 days of treatment.  It may be concluded that C. pareira leaf gel has antifertility properties in male by disturbance of blood prolactin and testosterone levels, consequently affecting spermatogenesis and impaired sperm quality.  Meanwhile, it inhibits ovulation in females and inhibits embryo implantation or decreases fertility index by increasing prolactin in pregnant mice.  Therefore, the use of C. pareira leaf gel as food or for therapy in traditional medicines should be avoided because of this adverse effect

Evaluation of hypoglycemic properties and fertility effect of Piper sarmantosum Roxb. aqueous leaf extract in streptozotocin induced diabetic mice

Male mice of ICR strain (6-7 week old, 30-40 g) were used for evaluation of the hypoglycemic and fertility effect of Piper sarmentosum Roxb. leaf extract.  Diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal (i.p) injection of streptozotocin (STZ) (6.0 mg/100gBW) and glibenclamide (reference drug) 1 mg/ 100gBW and Piper sarmentosum Roxb. leaf extract (PS) at 60 and 100 mg/100gBW were orally administered (per os) for 21 days.  The hypoglycemic activity of PS was 73.04 and 120.96% of the glibenclamide. Meanwhile, the blood insulin level also significantly increased by 8.25 and 50.53 % of the diabetic control. The concordant results showed that diabetic pancreatic islets were impaired and improved after extract treatment. However, the fertility status test showed that the seminal quality and blood testosterone of diabetic mice decreased significantly (P< 0.05) as compared to the normal mice and significantly increased when compared to the diabetic control after long-term treatment.  In conclusion, Piper sarmentosum Roxb. aqueous leaf extract at doses of 60 and 100 mg/100 gBW revealed hyperglycemic properties in diabetic mice.  They also improved both pancreatic islet function and fertility status of diabetic mice after 21 days of extract treatment

Effect of Momordica charantia Linn. leaf and fruit juice on fertility in male mice

Fertility effect of Momordica charantia Linn. leaf and fruit juice at doses of 200, 400 and 600 mg/ 100 gBW were evaluated by determining blood prolactin (PRL) and testosterone (T) levels, and sperm quality in male mice after 21 days of oral administration.  The increase in PRL and decrease in T levels were found to be dose dependent in both treatments.  Meanwhile, the sperm quality impairment was found in group receiving fruit juice was more severe than that of groups receiving leaf juice. Interestingly, the potency of testicular dysfunction was related to the degree of alteration of reproductive hormones. In conclusion, M. charantia leaf and fruit juice may cause testicular dysfunction, which indirectly affects pituitary PRL synthesis and consequently impaired testicular T synthesis. The use of M. charatia products at high dose in traditional medicine should include a caution about this adverse effect, especially in long term treatment