Antifertility Activity of Stems of Plumbago rosea in Female Albino Rats

Figures & data

Figure 1.  HPTLC of standard plumbagin.

Figure 2.  HPTLC of petroleum ether extract of P. rosea stem.

Figure 3.  HPTLC of acetone extract of P. rosea stem.

Figure 4.  HPTLC of chloroform extract of P. rosea stem.

Table 1.  Preliminary phytochemical studies on various extract of P. rosea.

Plant extracts	Constituents
Pr-P	Fats, steroids, and napthaquinone
Pr-C	Steroids and napthaquinone
Pr-A	Tannins, flavonoids, triterpenoids, and napthaquinone
Pr-E	Carbohydrates, glycosides, tannins, flavonoids, and saponins
Pr-W	Carbohydrates, glycosides, tannins, flavonoids, and saponins

Pr-Plumbago rosea, P-petroleum ether extract, C-chloroform extract, A-acetone extract, E-ethanol extract, W-aqueous extract.

Figure 5.  Vaginal smear of rats on 4-day estrous cycle. CXR III camera (x 400), Control: 1st day (A), 2nd day (B), 3rd day (C), 4th day (D).

Table 2.  Effect of treatment of various extracts of stem on estrous cycle for 5 days in rats.

			Duration of different phases of estrous cycle (days)
Treatment	Dose mg/kg	Duration of cycle (Days)	Proestrous	Estrous	Metestrous	Diestrous
Control	—	4.32 ± 0.22	0.83 ± 0.17	0.83 ± 0.17	0.83 ± 0.31	1.83 ± 0.40
Pr. Pet. ether	200	3.90 ± 0.40	0.66 ± 0.21	0.91 ± 0.27	0.75 ± 0.17	1.58 ± 0.52
	400	4.44 ± 0.67	1.16 ± 0.16	1.12 ± 0.31	0.75 ± 0.30	1.41 ± 0.45
Pr. Chloroform	200	3.94 ± 0.56	0.66 ± 0.49	0.87 ± 0.45	0.75 ± 0.17	1.66 ± 0.54
	400	4.40 ± 0.67	0.91 ± 0.27	0.91 ± 0.27	1.08 ± 0.20	1.50 ± 0.54
Pr. Acetone	200	6.10 ± 0.61*	0.58 ± 0.22	0.70 ± 0.45	1.16 ± 0.38	3.66 ± 0.49*
	400	6.08 ± 0.72*	0.50 ± 0.20	0.75 ± 0.30	1.00 ± 0.22	3.83 ± 0.33**
Pr. Ethanol	200	4.84 ± 0.47	1.16 ± 0.30	1.02 ± 0.44	0.83 ± 0.10	1.83 ± 0.47
	400	4.46 ± 0.22	1.00 ± 0.36	0.71 ± 0.16	1.00 ± 0.21	1.75 ± 0.47
Pr. Aqueous	200	4.41 ± 0.75	1.00 ± 0.51	1.00 ± 0.36	0.83 ± 0.25	1.58 ± 0.52
	400	4.99 ± 0.25	1.33 ± 0.33	1.75 ± 0.30	1.12 ± 0.17	1.79 ± 0.49

Pr-P. rosea. Values are expressed in mean ± SEM; n = 6; * P < 0.05; ** P < 0.01 versus Control (Student's t-test).

Table 3.  Effect of post-treatment of various extracts of stem on estrous cycle for 15 days in rats.

			Duration of different phases of estrous cycle (days)
Treatment	Dose mg/kg	Duration of cycle (Days)	Proestrous	Estrous	Metestrous	Diestrous
Control	—	4.32 ± 0.22	0.83 ± 0.17	0.83 ± 0.17	0.83 ± 0.31	1.83 ± 0.40
Pr. Pet.ether	200	4.86 ± 0.42	0.83 ± 0.30	1.04 ± 0.49	1.16 ± 0.41	1.83 ± 0.47
	400	4.41 ± 0.60	1.08 ± 0.49	0.83 ± 0.45	1.00 ± 0.22	1.50 ± 0.54
Pr. Chloroform	200	4.32 ± 0.55	0.91 ± 0.27	0.83 ± 0.27	1.00 ± 0.25	1.58 ± 0.55
	400	4.49 ± 0.49	1.08 ± 0.41	0.83 ± 0.21	0.91 ± 0.20	1.75 ± 0.57
Pr. Acetone	200	4.57 ± 0.71	1.00 ± 0.45	0.66 ± 0.24	0.91 ± 0.27	2.00 ± 0.44
	400	4.44 ± 0.40	0.66 ± 0.27	0.75 ± 0.31	0.95 ± 0.26	2.08 ± 0.52
Pr. Ethanol	200	4.31 ± 0.84	1.00 ± 0.49	0.74 ± 0.16	0.91 ± 0.08	1.66 ± 0.49
	400	4.94 ± 0.30	0.91 ± 0.21	1.08 ± 0.32	1.00 ± 0.34	1.45 ± 0.49
Pr. Aqueous	200	4.20 ± 0.60	1.08 ± 0.32	1.04 ± 0.20	0.83 ± 0.27	1.25 ± 0.44
	400	4.23 ± 0.56	0.83 ± 0.30	0.83 ± 0.45	0.91 ± 0.08	1.66 ± 0.33

Pr-P. rosea. Values are expressed in mean ± SEM; n = 6; values are non-significant versus control (Student's t-test).

Figure 6.  Photomicrograph of the transverse section of uterus of control rat showing the endometrium.

Figure 7.  Photomicrograph of the transverse section of uterus of ethinyl estradiol (0.02 mg/kg p.o.) treated rat, showing proliferation stage.

Figure 8.  Photomicrograph of the transverse section of uterus of acetone extract (400 mg/kg p.o) treated rat, showing the sloughing of the endometrial lining of epithelium.

Table 4.  Estrogenic and antiestrogenic activity of acetone extract of P. rosea stem.

Groups	Dose (mg/kg body weight)	Uterine weight (mg/100 g body weight)
Control	(Tween-80, 1%)	45.50 ± 2.27
Ethinyl estradiol	0.02	142.00 ± 4.83***
Pr. Acetone	200	68.13 ± 4.97
Pr. Acetone	400	74.50 ± 2.73
Ethinyl estradiol + Pr. Acetone	0.02 + 200	138.53 ± 4. 07***§
Ethinyl estradiol + Pr. Acetone	0.02 + 400	126.23 ± 4.23***§

Pr-P. rosea. Values are expressed in mean ± SEM; n = 6; ***P < 0.001 versus control; † P < 0.05 versus ethinyl estradiol (Student's t-test).