Anti-steroidogenic activity of the two Indian medicinal plants in mice

• Published in: Journal of ethnopharmacology Vol. 90; no. 1; pp. 21 - 25
• Main Authors: Gupta, M, Mazumder, U.K, Vamsi, M.L.M, Sivakumar, T, Kandar, C.C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 2004; Elsevier
• Subjects: 3-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases - antagonists & inhibitors; Animals; Antifertility; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarker enzymes; Cholesterol - biosynthesis; Cholesterol - blood; Croton; Croton roxburghii; Estrus - drug effects; Estrus - physiology; Female; General pharmacology; Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase - antagonists & inhibitors; Hematological profiles; India; Lethal Dose 50; Medical sciences; Medicine, Traditional; Mice; Ovary - drug effects; Ovary - physiology; Pharmacognosy. Homeopathy. Health food; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Plant Bark; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Plant Extracts - toxicity; Plants, Medicinal; Ziziphus; Zizyphus jujuba; India; Zizyphus jujuba; Hematological profiles; Biomarker enzymes; Croton roxburghii; Antifertility; Enzyme; Pharmacognosy; Rodentia; Biological marker; Biological activity; Medicinal plant; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Mouse; Dicotyledones; Animal; Angiospermae; Plant origin; Ziziphus; Euphorbiaceae; Spermatophyta; Contraceptive; Estrous cycle; Rhamnaceae
• ISSN: 0378-8741; 1872-7573
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2003.09.002

The chloroform extract of Croton roxburghii bark (CECR, Euphorbiaceae) and ethyl acetate extract of Zizyphus jujuba bark (EAZJ, Rhamnaceae) were evaluated for anti-steroidogenic activity in the adult female mouse. This study was designed to assess the effects of CECR and EAZJ on ovarian steroidogenisis. Antifertility activity was evaluated by observing the estrus cycle, body weight, wet weight of ovaries, steroidogenic enzymes, and substrates. Blood profiles were estimated to find out the toxic manifestations of the extracts. CECR and EAZJ each arrested the normal estrus cycle of adult female mouse at diestrus stage and reduced the wet weight of ovaries significantly. Cholesterol and ascorbic acid content in ovaries of crude extract-treated mice were significantly elevated. The significant inhibition of Δ 5-3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (Δ 5-3β-HSD) and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PDH), the two key enzymes involved in ovarian steroidogenisis, were also observed in mouse after 18 days of treatment. Hematological profiles, biochemical estimations of whole blood and serum remains unaltered in extract-treated mouse. Normal estrus cycle and ovarian steroidogenisis were restored after withdrawal of treatment with CECR and EAZJ on average 27 and 32 days, respectively. Antifertility activities of crude extracts were found to be reversible.