Antigonadal effect induced by hydro-methanolic extract of leaf of Aegle mermelos in male rat: Effect of hCG co- administration

Abstract

Antigonadal activity of hydro-methanolic (40:60) extract of leaf of Aegle marmelos was noted here by using male albino rat as model animal. This evaluation was performed by sperm count, sperm viability, sperm motility, plasma testosterone level; androgenic key enzyme activities in testis which were decreased significantly after the leaf extract treatment in respect to control. The levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) and catalase activities of testis and sperm pellet along with the count of different generation of germ cells at stage VII of seminiferous epithelial cycle were noted. Leaf extract treatment at the dose of 50 mg/ml /100 g body weight / day for 28 days to normal rat resulted a significant inhibition in the levels of these parameters in respect to control except the TBARS levels which were increased significantly. This extract has no toxicity in general that has been noted by plasma GOT and GPT activities. Co-treatment of hCG in the A. marmelos leaf extract treated rat resulted significant recovery of all these parameters towards the control level. This study focus the effect of this extract through hypothalamico-hypophysial axis for the induction of antigonadal activity that may lead to develop an herbal male contraceptive in future. Key words: Aegle marmelos, hCG, androgenic key enzyme, TBARS, GOT, GPT.