Anti-fertility and antisteroidogenic activity of Clerodendrum serratum in mature male rats

Background and Aims: The study was designed to evaluate the anti-fertility effect of methanolic extract of Clerodendrum serratum (MECS) on mature male rats. Methods: The vehicles and MECS were administered orally to four groups of forty male albino rats on consecutive days for 30 days. At the end of the experimental period, five animals from both the control and experimental groups were given anesthesia and the animal reproductive organs were collected and anti-fertility effect evaluated by studying the following parameters (i) Body and reproductive organ weight (ii) Biochemical estimation (iii) Reproductive hormone analysis (iv) Abnor malities in reproductive organ histology. Another five rats in each group were subjected to fertility testing. Results: This study shows that female rats which mated with MECS treated male rats delivered fewer pups than those which mated with the control rats. An antisteroidogenic effect was revealed through the increased concentration of testicular cho lesterol and ascorbic acid in MECS treated rats. However, testicular Δ5 -3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (Δ5 -3β-HSD), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD); serum reproductive hormones testosterone, FSH and LH were significantly reduced. Conclusion: The present investigation discovered the antisteroidogenic effect of MECS, which confirms the male antifertility effect of this plant. This encourages the traditional use of this plant in the Indian subcontinent as a male contraceptive.