PHYTOCHEMICAL AND PHARMACOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION OF CISSAMPELOS PAREIRA ROOT AND STEM AND THEVETIA PERUVIANA LEAVES FOR ANTIFERTILITY ACTIVITY

Abstract

The aim of the present work was to investigate C.pareira root and stem and T.peruviana leavesfor antifertility activity with mechanism of action. It was also proposed to identify the active ingredients responsible for the antifertility activity in these plant components.To avoid the toxicity associated with cardiac glycosides,T. peruviana leaves were made cardiac glycoside free.To examine the effects of the C.pareiraroot,C. pareirastem,cardiac glycoside free T. peruviana leavesmethanolic extracts, the extractswereadministered through oral feeding to female SD rats for 21 daysat two dose levels of250 mg per kg and 500 mg per kg,respectively.To investigate the effects on implantation and reproductive hormones, thesame doses of CPR Me, CPS Me andTPL Me G were administeredpostcoitally from day 1 to day8 of pregnancy. To evaluate serum levels of 17 beta estradiol and progesterone, blood samples were collected by a retro-orbital puncture on day12, 19, and 21 of pregnancy. Serum levels of the same were estimated by ELISA method. These parameters were evaluated with clomiphene citrate and control group and the results were compared with extract treated groups. The fractionation of CPS-Me and TPL Me G wereperformed with toluene; chloroform and ethyl acetate.HPTLC of fractionated extracts had been performed to identify flavonoids present in these extracts. CPS Me, TPL Me G and their fractions were employed on isolated estrogen-primed rat uterus to evaluate the uterotonic effects of the same. Extendedestrous cycle and diestrus phase and reduction in number of implants were observed with the CPS Me and TPL Me G as compared to control. Studies on the effect on reproductive hormones also revealed that CPS Me and TPL Me G caused increase in serum estradiol and decrease in progesterone levels fromday 12 to 19. The CC produced very long estrous cycle and diestrus phase and antiimplantation activity. CC produced the antifertility effect by virtue of decreasing the serum progesterone level. CPS Me and TPL Me G produce