Effect of triptolide on reproduction of female lesser bandicoot rat, Bandicota bengalensis

Triptolide has been reported to cause antifertility in male rats and mice. However, studies on female rats have been limited. Present study was aimed to evaluate the effects of triptolide on reproduction of wild female rodent pest species, Bandicota bengalensis. Feeding of bait containing 0.1, 0.15 and 0.2% triptolide for a period of 15 days in bi-choice resulted in per day ingestion of 17.37, 23.54 and 27.49 mg/kg body weight of triptolide, respectively. Examination of vaginal smear of all the rats revealed a significant (p ≤ 0.05) increase in duration of estrous cycle due to increase in durations of metestrous and diestrous stages in rats of treated groups. Autopsy of rats after 15 and 30 days of treatment withdrawal revealed significant (p ≤ 0.05) reduction in weights of uterus and ovaries, non-significant reduction in weights of liver and levels of estradiol and progesterone and significant (p ≤ 0.05) reduction in levels of urea and BUN and increase in levels of plasma proteins, ALT, AST, ALP, ACP and LDH in rats of treated groups compared to untreated group. There was no significant (p ≤ 0.05) effect of treatment on body weight. Triptolide treatment affected the histomorphology of uterus by causing a decrease in lumen and columnar cell height and number of uterine glands and ovary by increasing the number of atretic follicles and decreasing the number of developing follicles. The present study suggests triptolide to be a strong candidate affecting reproduction of female B. bengalensis.