Antifertility effect of Clerodendrum phlomidis Linn. Methanolic Root Extract in Mature Female Rats

Clerodendrum phlomidis Linn. (Verbenaceae) is commonly known as Clerodendrum or Clerodendron in English, Arni in Hindi and Agnimantha in Sanskrit. Root bark of the plant together with rice wash has been used traditionally to cause sterility in females in ancient India [1]. The present study was carried out to evaluate the methanolic extract of Clerodendrum phlomidis root for its antifertilty potential in mature female rats as per reported method [2]. The post-coital antifertility activity of the root extract at dose levels (100, 200, 400 & 600mg/kg, orally) was evaluated in mature female rats by observing no. of implants and estrus cycle. The extract showed 41.25, 45.36, 73.25 and 100 percent inhibition of implantation at doses of 100, 200, 400 and 600mg/kg body weight respectively when administered orally. Among the administered doses of extract, all the doses (200 to 600mg/kg) were found to be significant (p<0.01) when compared with control. The results suggest that methanolic extract of Clerodenrum phlomidis roots possess significant post-coital antifertility activity in mature female rats.

Acknowledgement: The authors are thankful to Director, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, K.U., Kurukshetra for providing necessary facility for the study.

References: [1] Dass B, Basu RN (1968) Sterlization and Contraception, 3(1): 9–24. [2] Gupta M, Mazumder UK, et al. (2004)J Ethnopharmacol, 90: 21–25.