Planta Med 2006; 72 - P_102
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-949902

Antifertility activities of Acanthus montanus and its new sulphate ester on female rats with possible mechanism(s) of action

EA Asongalem 1, P Nana 2, P Kamtchouing 2
  • 1Pharmacology and Toxicology Unit, Department of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaounde 1, Yaounde, Cameroon, P.O. Box 8283, Yaounde Email: cpehw@yahoo.com, Fax: 237 2221873
  • 2Department of Animal Biology & Physiology, Faculty of Science, University of Yaounde 1, Yaounde, Cameroon

This study centred on assessing the effects of aqueous extract (AE) of Acanthus montanus (Acanthaceae) and its new compound – Acanthus sulphate ester (ASE) on oestrous cycle, implantations and possible mode(s) of action. Oestrous cycles of Wistar rats (150–212g) were monitored before, during and after oral administration of distilled water (control), AE (250, 500, 1000mg/kg/day) and ASE (0.25, 0.5, 1.0mg/kg/day; intravenous) for 6 consecutive days. Concerning implantations, pregnant rats received above doses of AE and ASE from days 1–6 (pre-implantation) or 6–15 (post-implantation) of gestation and sacrificed on day 8 or 20 of pregnancy(1). AE (1000mg/kg/day) and ASE (2mg/kg/day) were given to overiectomised rats in the presence and absence of exogenously administered oestrogen and or progesterone with uterine weight and deciduoma count assessed. PGF2α was evaluated on pre-implantation in the presence and absence of AE and ASE. One-way ANOVA at P<0.05 was used. AE and ASE dose independently prolonged metoestrous and dioestrous stages of the oestrous cycle which reversed at least 10 days post-dosing. On pre-implantation, the AE (1000mg/kg/day) and ASE (0.5mg/kg/day) caused appreciable pre-implantation losses of 36.8±6.5%, P<0.05 and 42.5±11.5%, P<0.01 respectively whereas AE (1000mg/kg/day) and ASE (1.0mg/kg/day) insignificantly caused post-implantation losses. AE and ASE did not alter the uterine weights or deciduoma counts (in the presence of progesterone) but reduced (P<0.05) the number of implants of PGF2α-administered rats. AE and ASE caused infertility by prolonging oestrous cycle and promoting pre-implantation loss; abolished deciduoma formation and prostaglandin inhibition was implicated but not sex hormones.

Acknowledgement: This research was supported by the International Foundation for Science, Stockholm, Sweden and United Nations University (UNU), Tokyo, Japan, through a grant to Dr Emmanuel Acha ASONGALEM.

Reference: 1. Asongalem, E.A., Akintonwa, A., (1997), Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 58: 184–189.