Evaluation Of Contraceptive Efficacy Of Ethanolic Extract Of Lygodium Flexuosum On Male Wistar Rat.

Abstract

 Lygodium flexuosum has been used in the various traditional and modern medicines as it has many ethnobotanical aspects. The present investigation deals with contraceptive efficacy of Lygodium flexuosum with its ethanolic extract on the male Wistar rat against control. The investigation involves the oral administration of sexually matured fertile male Wistar rat with an ethanolic extract of Lygodium flexuosum at the dose regimen of 100mg/kg b. wt. /rat for 60 days as an experimental group whereas control group has received vehicle only wherein both the groups has 6 animals each. Hematological indices and serum biochemical investigations were also performed to assess the toxic effects if any caused in rats due to the treatment. Proteins, cholesterol, glycogen, adrenal ascorbic acid, sialic acid and fructose levels were analyzed in rats. Rats were castrated for the histopathological investigations where tissues were fixed in the Bouin’s fixative, dehydrated, sectioned and stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Treatment of Lygodium flexuosum in an experimental group have showed significant reduction in the weight of the testes and accessory reproductive organs. Biochemistry has revealed that protein, glycogen, adrenal ascorbic acid, sialic acid and fructose content was found to be decreased significantly. Cholesterol content was found to be increased. Histological observations showed that germinal epithelium lining of seminiferous tubule were degenerated with spermatocytes, and spermatozoon debris in the lumen and tubules.