Male contraceptive efficacy of poly herbal formulation, contracept-TM, composed of aqueous extracts of Terminalia chebula fruit and Musa balbisiana seed in rat.

CONTEXT: Terminalia chebula Retz (Combretaceae) and Musa balbisiana Colla (Musaceae) have a traditional reputation as a male contraceptive. OBJECTIVE: To determine the hypo-testicular activity of aqueous extracts of Terminalia chebula (fruit) and Musa balbisiana (seed) separately, and in composite manner at the ratio of 1:1 named as 'Contracept-TM' compared to cyproterone acetate (CPA), for developing a polyherbal contraceptive. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The separate extract of above said plants or 'Contracept-TM' at the dose of 40 mg/100 g body weight of rat/day or CPA at 2 mg/100 g body weight of rat/day was administered for 28 days. Spermiological, androgenic and oxidative stress sensors, LD50 and ED50/100 g body weight values were measured. RESULTS: Treatment of individual, 'Contracept-TM' or CPA resulted significant decrease in the count of spermatogonia A (36.36-49.09%), pre-leptotene spermatocyte (19.11-55.30%), mid-pachytene spermatocyte (28.65-47.28%) and step 7 spermatid (29.65-51.59%). Activities of testicular Δ5, 3ß (21.25-48.02%),17ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases (29.75-55.08%), catalase (19.06-43.29%) and peroxidase (30.76-62.82%), levels of testosterone (28.15-63.44%), testicular cholesterol (19.61-49.33%), conjugated diene (29.69-84.99%) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (41.25-86.73%) were elevated compare to the control. The ED50 and LD50 values were 40 mg and 5.8 g (T. chebula), 48 mg and 6.3 g (M. bulbisiana), 40 mg and 6.0 g ('Contracept-TM'), respectively. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The said spermiological and androgenic sensors' levels were decreased significantly by 'Contracept-TM' than its constitutional individual plant extract and it may be comparable to standard anti-testicular drug like CPA. So, it may be concluded that above polyherbal formulation is potent for inducing hypo-testicular activity.

Ameliorative role of ethyl-acetate fraction of methanolic leaf extract of Camellia sinensis (green tea) on streptozotocin-induced diabetes linked testicular hypofunction in albino rat: A dose-dependent biochemical and genomic transection study.

Background The present investigation focuses the diabetes-induced testicular hypofunction and its possible correction by the effective dose of ethyl-acetate fraction of methanolic extract of Camellia sinensis leaves through dose-dependent study in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat. Methods The androgenic, spermiological, oxidative stress and apoptosis sensors along with testicular genomic sensors were evaluated in a dose-dependent fashion (50 mg or 100 mg or 200 mg/kg body weight). Activities of hepatic transaminases for toxicity assessment were also measured. Results Increased level of fasting blood glucose, testicular cholesterol, seminal vesicular fructose along with a low count, motility and viability of epididymal sperm, low activities of testicular Δ5, 3ß-hydroxy steroid dehydrogenase (HSD), 17ß-HSD, testicular antioxidant enzymes (catalase and superoxide dismutase) and low plasma level of testosterone were noted in diabetic rat in respect to the control. After oral administration of said fraction to diabetic rat, levels of above sensors were resettled toward the control. A significant decrease in the number of different generations of germ cells at the stage VII of spermatogenesis in diabetic rat was noted which were recovered significantly toward the control in the fraction-treated diabetic group. It was supported by the correction in gene expression of testicular Δ5, 3ß- HSD, 17ß- HSD, Bcl-2 and Bax in the fraction-treated diabetic group. Conclusions The threshold dose of ethyl-acetate fraction of methanolic extract of C. sinensis leaves is 100 mg/kg body weight for the recovery of testicular hypofunction in a diabetic rat model.