Natural male contraceptive: phytochemical investigation and anti-spermatogenic activity of Pistia stratiotes Linn

• Published in: Natural product research 2014-01, Vol.28 (16), p.1313-1317
• Main Authors: Singh, Kiran, Dubey, Bidhyut Kumar, Tripathi, Avinash C., Singh, Ajeet Pal, Saraf, Shailendra K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Administration, Oral; Alkaloids - analysis; Animals; anti-spermatogenic activity; Araceae - chemistry; Contraceptive Agents, Male - chemistry; Contraceptive Agents, Male - isolation & purification; Contraceptive Agents, Male - pharmacology; Flavonoids - analysis; Humans; Male; male contraceptive; Mice; Molecular Structure; natural; Organ Size - drug effects; Phenols - analysis; Pistia stratiotes; saponin; Saponins - chemistry; Saponins - isolation & purification; Saponins - pharmacology; Sitosterols - chemistry; Sitosterols - isolation & purification; Sitosterols - pharmacology; Sperm Count; Spermatogenesis - drug effects; Testis - drug effects; testosterone; Testosterone - analysis
• ISSN: 1478-6419; 1478-6427
• DOI: 10.1080/14786419.2014.900772

This work is an attempt to explore the anti-spermatogenic activity of Pistia stratiotes and to investigate it as a male contraceptive. The prepared extracts were screened for the presence of alkaloids, glycosides, steroids, flavonoids, saponin and phenolic compounds. To assess the anti-spermatogenic activity, mice were orally administered with the various extracts of P. stratiotes (dose: 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight/day, for 45 days) and the most active, ethanolic extract was subjected to the isolation of phytoconstituent responsible for the activity. Diethyl ether fraction of ethanolic extract was taken to isolate a saponin, sitosterol-3-O-[2,4-di-O-acetyl-6-O-stearyl-β-d-glucopyranoside]. Anti-spermatogenic activity of the isolated saponin was evaluated at a dose of 50 mg/kg body weight/day, for 45 days. The treatment caused significant decrease (P