Abstract

EFFECT OF SUCCESSIVE AQUEOUS AND ETHANOL EXTRACT OF THE PERICARP OF FRUITS OF TERMINALIA CHEBULA RETZ. ON REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM OF MALE MICE, MUS MUSCULUS.

Vijay Mala (Grover) Nair* and Roopalatha U. C.

ABSTRACT

The pericarp of the dried fruit of Terminalia chebula, is used in the preparation of a well - known ayurvedic formulations. The present study aimed in context to record the effect of successive aqueous and successive ethanol extract of the pericarp of the fruits of T. chebula, on the reproductive functions of male mice, Mus musculus fed on a dose of 200 and 400 mg / kg body weight /day for duration of 35 days. A non-significant decrease in overall total body weight of the treated mice was recorded except in the mice group fed on a dose of 200 mg / kg body weight of aqueous extract. The weight of the testis recorded a significant reduction in experimental mice groups fed on 200 mg/ kg body weight of aqueous and on both the doses (200 and 400 mg / kg body weight) of ethanol extract. Most of the accessory reproductive
organs did not exhibit significant change in their weight. The caudal epididymal sperm count exhibited a significant decrease except in the mice group fed on a dose of 200 mg / kg body weight of aqueous extract. The total percent of abnormal sperm types (amorphous, banana, hookless, double headed and folded tailed) increased in treated mice, the increase being significant in mice groups fed on 400 mg / kg body weight of aqueous and 200 mg / kg body weight of ethanol extracts. Most of the biochemical indices and serum blood parameters did not record significant changes. Histological sections exhibited a reduction in the overall diameter of the testis, seminiferous tubules, and spermatogonial cells. A reduction in the number of litters born on co-habiting females with treated male mice fed on both the doses (200 & 400 mg/ kg body weight) of the aqueous and the ethanol extract probably relates either to a decrease in sperm count, or an increase in the abnormal sperm types and or to a decrease in the fructose content pointing to the presence of anti- spermatogenic properties in the pericarp of the fruits of T. chebula. The data thus suggest a differential synergistic effect of the various factors contributing to the antifertility effects following administration of successive extracts of the pericarp of the fruits of T. chebula and that the pericarp of the fruits of T. chebula possesses antifertility potential which may be attributed to the action of certain bioactive principles present in the pericarp of the fruits of T. chebula and warrants a detailed investigation to justify its indiscriminate usage for longer duration.

Keywords: Terminalia chebula; Fruit pericarp; Successive aqueous extract; Successive ethanol extract; Antifertility effect; Male mice.