Post-coital antifertility activity of Acalypha indica L.

doi:10.1016/S0378-8741(98)00213-X

Journal of Ethnopharmacology

Volume 67, Issue 3, 30 November 1999, Pages 253-258

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-8741(98)00213-X Get rights and content

Abstract

Four successive solvent extracts of the whole plant Acalypha indica L. (Euphorbiaceae) were tested for post-coital antifertility activity in female albino rats. Of these, the petroleum ether and ethanol extracts were found to be most effective in causing significant anti-implantation activity. The antifertility activity was reversible on withdrawal of the treatment of the extracts. Both the extracts at 600 mg/kg body weight showed estrogenic activity. Histological studies of the uterus were carried out to confirm this estrogenic activity.

Introduction

One approach pursued to identify new antifertility agents is the search for their presence in natural sources. Many plant preparations are reported to have fertility regulating properties and a few have been tested for such effects. But so far no single plant is available which can be developed further as a potent antifertility agent. Hence the search continues. Acalypha indica L. (Euphorbiaceae) is a weed widely distributed throughout the plains of India. It has been reported to be useful in treating pneumonia, asthma, rheumatism and several other ailments (Kirtikar and Basu, 1935, Anonymous, 1948, Chopra et al., 1956, Nadakarni and Nadakarni, 1982). This plant was cited as an emmenagogue by Nadakarni and Nadakarni (1982). The leaves of Acalypha grandis have also been reported to possess contraceptive activity (Bourdy and Walter, 1992). Several chemical (Donw and Steyn, 1938, Talapatra et al., 1981, Nohrstedt et al., 1982, Manzoor-i-Khuda et al., 1985, Asolkar et al., 1992) and biological (Caius and Mhaskar, 1923, Hiremath et al., 1993) investigations have been carried out on this plant, but, so far no antifertility testing has been done. Hence, in continuation of our work on antifertility activity of plants (Hiremath and Hanumantha, 1990, Hiremath et al., 1990, Hiremath et al., 1994, Hiremath et al., 1996), we were interested in subjecting Acalypha indica L. to antifertility testing in female albino rats.

Section snippets

Materials and methods

The whole plant of Acalypha indica L. was collected from the fields in and around Gulbarga during August and September, 1996 and was authenticated at the Herbarium, Department of Botany, Gulbarga University, Gulbarga (HGUG No.279). The plant was shade dried, powdered and subjected to Soxhlet extraction (500 g) successively and separately with petroleum ether (60–80°C, 2 l), chloroform (2 l), ethanol (95%, 2 l) and distilled water (2 l). The extracts were concentrated to dryness in a

Results

Of the four extracts of Acalypha indica L. evaluated for post-coital antifertility activity, the petroleum ether extract at 300 and 600 mg/kg significantly inhibited pregnancy in three of eight rats with a mean number of implants of 5.875±1.76 (P<0.05) and six of eight rats with a mean number of implants of 2.125±1.39 (P<0.001), respectively (Table 1). The ethanol extract at doses of 300 and 600 mg/kg body weight also showed anti-implantation activity in three of eight and five of eight rats,

Discussion

In the present study, Acalypha indica L. was tested for its anti-implantation and estrogenic properties. Among the four extracts tested at two different doses, the petroleum ether and ethanol extracts at 600 mg/kg body weight dose were more potent in their anti-implantation activity, as 75 and 62.5% of the rats failed to show any implantation sites, respectively. However, the chloroform and distilled water extracts were inactive, as the number of implantation sites in these cases were

Acknowledgements

The authors are thankful to Professor Malcolm Hooper, University of Sunderland, Sunderland, UK for useful discussions, and to M/s. Wyeth Laboratories Ltd., Bombay, for supplying a free sample of ethinyl estradiol. One of the authors (KR) is thankful to AICTE, New Delhi, for financial assistance.

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Cited by (65)

Pharmacological screening of Acalypha indica L.: Possible role in the treatment of asthma
2022, Journal of Ethnopharmacology
Acalypha indica Linn (Euphorbiaceae), a popular traditional medicine, is an erect herb found throughout various parts of India. In Ayurveda, Acalypha indica was commonly used in asthma and allergy. However, no attempts were made in past to validate the antiasthmatic potential of Acalypha indica.
Aim of the study: The present study was aimed to assess the anti-asthmatic potential of ethanolic extracts of Acalypha indica leaves (EAIL) using various experimental animal models.
EAIL was analyzed using different screening methods such as acetylcholine and histamine-induced contraction of goat tracheal chain, clonidine-induced catalepsy in mice, milk-induced leucocytosis and eosinophilia in mice, clonidine-induced mast cell degranulation in rats, passive paw anaphylaxis in rats, histamine-induced bronchoconstriction in guinea pigs, and ovalbumin (OVA)-induced histopathological alterations in mice.
Data received in the present study showed that EAIL drastically antagonized acetylcholine and histamine-induced contraction of goat tracheal chain, suggesting its anticholinergic and antihistaminic activity respectively. The duration of immobility, produced by clonidine, was found to be decreased in mice which showed its H₁ receptor blocking activity. In milk-induced leucocytosis and eosinophilia in mice, EAIL significantly reduced the number of leucocytes and eosinophils suggesting its adaptogenic and anti-allergic potential. Inhibition of clonidine-induced mast cell degranulation in rats displayed its mast cell stabilizing potential. Reduction of paw edema in passive paw anaphylaxis exhibited antianaphylactic activity of EAIL. Guinea pigs were protected from histamine-induced bronchoconstriction by EAIL which revealed its bronchodilator potential. Furthermore, the histopathological architecture of lung tissue was near to normal.
Our results contribute towards validation of the traditional use of Acalypha indica in the treatment of asthma due to the presence of a wide range of phytoconstituents. Hence our investigation revealed that EAIL possessed strong antiasthmatic property by virtue of various mechanisms.
Assessment of reproductive impact of the aerial parts of Caralluma dalzielii N. E. Br in female Wistar rats
2020, Heliyon
Caralluma dalzielii N. E. Brown belonging to family Asclepiadaceae, is a popular cactus-shaped plant native to East Africa. The aerial parts are used traditionally for treating various diseases including infertility. The present study evaluated the effects of the aqueous extract of the aerial parts of Caralluma dalzielii (AECD) on reproductive performance of female Wistar rats. Adult female virgin rats were allotted into four major groups namely pre-conception, post-conception, implantation site and ovariectomized rats' groups. Each group was subdivided into 4 groups and treated orally with 125, 250, 500 mg/kg of AECD or distilled water (vehicle). In the pre-conception and post-conception groups, litter sizes, pups' weights, deformities, gestation length and reproductive indices were determined. Number of implantation sites and weights of embryos were assessed in the implantation site group while in the ovariectomised rats' group, uterine weights were determined. AECD produced no difference in litter size and reproductive indices in pre-conception group while in post-conception group the litter size at 500 mg/kg was significantly (p < 0.05) reduced compared to the control. Post-implantation loss index was high, and the other reproductive indices were reduced at 500 mg/kg. Whereas at the dose of 125 mg/kg, post-implantation loss index was reduced, and litter size was increased when compared to the control group. At 500 mg/kg, AECD caused a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in the number of implantation sites and weight of embryos while at 125 mg/kg the implantation sites increased. A significant (p < 0.05) increase in the uterine weight in the ovariectomised rats' group was observed at all dose levels. Our study provides scientific evidence that supports the traditional use of AECD in the treatment of infertility. At a lower dose, AECD acts by increasing the number of implantation sites and litter size of animals but at a higher dose, it may be embryotoxic. AECD increases uterine wet weight in ovariectomised rats suggesting that the plant may be oestrogen-like.
A review of Acalypha indica L. (Euphorbiaceae) as traditional medicinal plant and its therapeutic potential
2017, Journal of Ethnopharmacology
Citation Excerpt :
Thus, a single administration of both 600 mg/kg petroleum and ethanol extracts presented weak estrogenic activity. However, the combination of standard and petroleum ether extract proved to have better anti-estrogenic activity than the standard alone (Hiremath et al., 1999). The sterol in petroleum ether extract was expected to be the responsible phytochemical that responded to estrogenic activity.
Acalypha indica is an herbal plant that grows in wet, temperate and tropical region, primarily along the earth’s equator line. This plant is considered by most people as a weed and can easily be found in these regions. Although this plant is a weed, Acalypha indica has been acknowledged by local people as a useful source of medicine for several therapeutic treatments. They consume parts of the plant for many therapeutics purposes such as anthelmintic, anti-ulcer, bronchitis, asthma, wound healing, anti-bacterial and other applications. As this review was being conducted, most of the reports related to ethnomedicinal practices were from Asian and African regions.
The aim of this review is to summarize the current studies on ethnomedicinal practices, phytochemistry, pharmacological studies and a potential study of Acalypha indica in different locations around the world. This review updates related information regarding the potential therapeutic treatments and also discusses the toxicity issue of Acalypha indica.
This review was performed through a systematic search related to Acalypha indica including the ethnomedicinal practices, phytochemistry and pharmacological studies around the world. The data was collected from online journals, magazines, and books, all of which were published in English, Malay and Indonesian. Search engine websites such as Google, Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct, Researchgate and other online collections were utilized in this review to obtain information.
The links between ethnomedicinal practices and scientific studies have been discussed with a fair justification. Several pharmacological properties exhibited certain potentials based on the obtained results that came from different related studies. Based on literature studies, Acalypha indica has the capability to serve as anthelmintic, anti-inflammation, anti-bacterial, anti-cancer, anti-diabetes, anti-hyperlipidemic, anti-obesity, anti-venom, hepatoprotective, hypoxia, and wound healing medicine. For the traditional practices, the authors also mentioned several benefits of consuming the raw plant and decoction.
This review summarizes the current studies of Acalypha indica collected from many regions. This review hopefully will provide a useful and basic knowledge platform for anyone interested in gaining information regarding Acalypha indica.
Alteration in oestrus cycle and implantation in Mus musculus administered aqueous wood ash extract of Azadirachta indica (neem)
2016, Asian Pacific Journal of Reproduction
Citation Excerpt :
Implantation can only be successful when the activated state of the blastocyst coincides with the receptive state of the uterus [34–37]. Abortifacient activity of aqueous extract of A. indica wood ash in this study may also be due to the presence of flavonoids and other phytochemicals, which are known to exhibit anti-fertility activity [38–42]. It could also be due to uncontrolled uterine contractions, leading to abortion depending on the oestrogen levels in the tissues that could be due to uterotonic effects of combination of enzymes [43].
The study was designed to investigate the alterations in oestrus cycle and implantation in Mus musculus administered aqueous wood ash extract of Azadirachta indica.
Mice were randomly grouped into four groups (5/group) where 0, 5, 50 and 100 mg/kg doses of the extract were orally administered for 20 d and microscopy of vaginal smear carried out daily to determine anti-ovulatory activity. Oestrus cycle, including metestrus, diestrus and oestrus phases and histopathology of uterus were examined. To assess abortifacient activity, pregnant mice were also administered extracts for 7 d and laparotomised on the 10th day of pregnancy to observe implantation in the horns of the uterus.
Duration of metestrus and diestrus phases varied significantly, while the frequency at which the oestrus phase occurred was lowest at 100 mg/kg, (2.8 ± 0.2) and (1.2 ± 0.4) d, with degeneration of epithelial cells of glands in the uterus. Failure of implantation (0% implantation) was recorded in mice exposed to 50 and 100 mg/kg of the extract.
Aqueous wood ash extract of A. indica altered the duration of metestrus, diestrus and oestrus phases of the oestrus cycle and compromised implantation in female mice.
Antifertility activity of medicinal plants
2015, Journal of the Chinese Medical Association
Citation Excerpt :
There are certain bottlenecks in the process, including but not limited to the lack of quality control and toxicological studies, the imperative to increase product shelf life, and compliance with international regulatory standards that need to be overcome before their full market potential can be realized. Various medicinal plants have antifertility activities (Table 1).16,31–50 The Unani system of medicine is an indigenous treatment, very prevalent in South Asia and popular among large populations in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.
The aim of this review was to provide a comprehensive summary of medicinal plants used as antifertility agents in females throughout the world by various tribes and ethnic groups. We undertook an extensive bibliographic review by analyzing classical text books and peer reviewed papers, and further consulting well accepted worldwide scientific databases. We performed CENTRAL, Embase, and PubMed searches using terms such as “antifertility”, “anti-implantation”, “antiovulation”, and “antispermatogenic” activity of plants. Plants, including their parts and extracts, that have traditionally been used to facilitate antifertility have been considered as antifertility agents. In this paper, various medicinal plants have been reviewed for thorough studies such as Polygonum hydropiper Linn, Citrus limonum, Piper nigrum Linn, Juniperis communis, Achyanthes aspera, Azadirachta indica, Tinospora cordifolia, and Barleria prionitis. Many of these medicinal plants appear to act through an antizygotic mechanism. This review clearly demonstrates that it is time to expand upon experimental studies to source new potential chemical constituents from medicinal plants; plant extracts and their active constituents should be further investigated for their mechanisms. This review creates a solid foundation upon which to further study the efficacy of plants that are both currently used by women as traditional antifertility medicines, but also could be efficacious as an antifertility agent with additional research and study.
Effect of ethanolic seed extract of Caesalpinia bonducella pregnant female albino rats
2013, Asian Pacific Journal of Reproduction
In the present study, an attempt has been made to investigate the effect of ethanolic seed extract of Caesalpinia bonducella(C. bonducella) on fertility in female Wistar albino rats.
Pregnant rats were randomized into two groups containing eight animals in each group. Control group rats were orally administered with 1 mL/100g b.wt of distilled water while rats in second group received 300mg/kg of the seed extract from gestation day 1-7, once daily. The animals were sacrificed twenty four hours after the last dose on gestation day 12.
A significant reduction in implantation index and a contrasting significant increase in resorption index, pre-implantation and post-implantation loss was recorded in the seed extract treated rats. Progesterone level declined significantly in rats treated with seed extract. O vary revealed degenerated corpora lutea in treated rats. The embryos were noticed with craniofacial deformities in extract treated group.
The results obtained in this study suggest that the seeds of C. bonducella possess antifertility activity probably due to its antiprogesterogenic hormonal properties that can modulate the reproductive function of the experimental rats.

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Journal of Ethnopharmacology

Abstract

Introduction

Section snippets

Materials and methods

Results

Discussion

Acknowledgements

References (23)

Maternity and medicinal plants in Vanuatu. I. The cycle of reproduction

Journal of Ethnopharmacology

Antifertility efficacy of the plant Striga lutea (Scrophulariaceae)

Contraception

Biology of Mammalian Fertilization and Implantation

Glossory of Indian Medicinal Plants with Active Principles Part I

The correlation between chemical composition and anthelmintics and their therapeutic values in connection with the Hookworm

Indian Journal of Medical Research

Glossory of Indian Medical Plants

The presence of hydrocyanic acid in stock feeds and other plants

African Veterinary Medical Association

Reproduction and Breeding, Techniques for Laboratory Animals

Antifertility activity of Striga lutea—Part I

Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology

Cited by (65)

Pharmacological screening of Acalypha indica L.: Possible role in the treatment of asthma

Assessment of reproductive impact of the aerial parts of Caralluma dalzielii N. E. Br in female Wistar rats

A review of Acalypha indica L. (Euphorbiaceae) as traditional medicinal plant and its therapeutic potential

Alteration in oestrus cycle and implantation in Mus musculus administered aqueous wood ash extract of Azadirachta indica (neem)

Antifertility activity of medicinal plants

Effect of ethanolic seed extract of Caesalpinia bonducella pregnant female albino rats