Asian J. Res. Pharm. Sci. 2011; Vol. 1: Issue 3, Pg 77-79 [AJPSci.

ISSN- 2231–5640 (Print) www.asianpharmaonline.org

ISSN- 2231–5659 (Online) 0974-3618

RESEARCH ARTICLE
Preliminary Phytochemical and Antifertility Studies on Dodonea viscosa
Linn

R. Ramya*, R. Sivasakthi, C. Senthilkumar, J. Anudeepa, N. Santhi and R. Venkata Narayanan

RVS College of pharmaceutical Sciences, sulur, Coimbatore ,Tamil nadu, India.

*Corresponding Author E-mail: sivasakthimpharm@gmail.com

ABSTRACT:
The practice of traditional medicine for the control of fertility in most parts of Ethiopia is based on the uses of plant
medicines for many years. The fact that the herbal medicines have been employed for such a long time does not
guarantee their efficacy and safety. The aim of the present study was therefore to carry out phytochemical screening,
efficacy and safety studies on one of the traditionally used anti- fertility plants: Dodonea viscose Linn. The secondary
metabolites of the leaves of this plant were determined. The methanolic extract of the leaves of this plant were
investigated for their anti-fertility activity in female rats. The identification of the secondary metabolites showed that
the leaves of the plant contained alkaloids, phytosterols and polyphenols. It was found that the extract reduced
significantly (p< 0.01) the number of liters and administered through oral route. It also produced ant fertility effect in a
dose dependent manner and the contraceptive effect was manifested for a definite period of time. Furthermore, the
extract prolonged significantly the anti-implantation and early abortifacient activity. All these observations suggest
that the extract has antifertility activity and is safe at the effective anti-fertility doses employed in this study.

KEYWORDS: Anti-fertility; Female Albino rats.

INTRODUCTION: ANIMALS USED:

Dodonea viscose Linn (Sapindaceae) is an erect perennial Wister Albino rats (150-200gms) were selected for these
shrub found throughout the hotter parts of India and Nepal. studies. Six rats were taken for each group. The rats were
It is used for various medicinal purposes such as liver used after an acclimatization period of 7 days to the
disorders, diuretic, abortifacient and antifertility agents. laboratory environment. They were provided with food and
Various parts of this plant are being used in the traditional water.
systems of medicine for contraceptive effect.
ANTI-FERTILITY MODEL:
However there were no reports on both ethno botanical and The female rats were grouped in to ten animals each. The
pharmacological profile of this plant. Hence the present first group of animals received 250 mg/kg body weight of
study was made to evaluate the anti-fertility effect. methanolic extract of Dodonea viscose linn leaves. The rats
in the second group served as control and received the
MATERIALS AND METHODS: 0.5%w/v of Carboxy methyl cellulose. The treatment of
PLANT EXTRACT AND STANDARD USED: drugs was such that the animals were allowed for mating,
The dried plant materials were pulverized by a mechanical after continuous administration of drugs for seven days and
grinder, sieved through 40 mesh. The powdered materials during which period they were all in estrous stage. The
were extracted with methanol using soxhlet extraction mating was allowed by placing the treated female rats with
apparatus. This methanol extract was then concentrated and untreated male rats in its cages. The following day the
dried under reduced pressure. The methanol free semisolid mating was confirmed by the presence of sperms in the
mass thus obtained was used for the experiment. vaginal smear.

The female rats which showed a positive mating with the

Received on 18.07.2011 Accepted on 11.08.2011 result of sperm positive were further treated with same dose
© Asian Pharma Press All Right Reserved levels of the respective drugs for another five days. The
Asian J. Res. Pharm. Sci. 1(3): July-Sept. 2011; Page 77-79 pregnancy starts from the day of mating and the next day

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Asian J. Res. Pharm. Sci. 2011; Vol. 1: Issue 3, Pg 77-79 [AJPSci.]

On 10Th day of pregnancy, the treated rats were dissected

was taken as day 1 of pregnancy. The pregnancy was
confirmed by the continuous diestrous stage of the female
under light ether anaesthesia to observe the number of
rats. The pregnant rats were segregated and separately
implantations, the number of corpus luteum in the ovary
housed in cages. A weekly examination was observed for
and the number of resorptions were recorded in Table – 1.
its weight variation. The incision was closed under aseptic conditions. It was
shown in Figure-1. On 20th day, the animal was once again
anaesthetized and autopsied for the observations. The
FIGURE:1- PHOTOGRAPH SHOWING THE FOETUS , percentage of anti – implantation, early abortifacient, total
OVARY AND UTERUS IN ALBINO RATS ant-fertility data are given in Table no:2.

The early abortifacient and anti-implantation activities

were calculated by the following formulae:
Number of resorptions
% Abortifacient activity = -------------------------------- x 100
Number of corpus luteum

Number of implantations
% Anti-implantation activity = 100 ----------------------x 100
Number of corpus luteum

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:

The present studies revealed that the methanolic extract of
Dodonea viscose Linn showed significant anti-fertility
FIGURE :2-PHOTOGRAPH SHOWS THE ANTI FERTILITY activity as evidenced by early abortifacient activity of the
ACTIVITY IN TREATED ALBINO
methanolic extract of Dodonea viscose Linn and control
group were 27.63% and 0% respectively. The anti-
implantation activity of methanolic extract of Dodonea
viscose Linn and control group was 68.42% and 47.89%
respectively. Hence, the total anti-fertility activity of the
methanolic extract of Dodonea viscose Linn was
96.05%.These results are interpreted on the basis of the
animals that showed complete anti – implantation and
resorption when compared to the number of animals used in
control group. Our studies confirmed that the anti-fertility
activity of the methanolic extract of Dodonea viscose Linn
leaves as evidenced by early abortifacient activity and anti-
implantation activity. Further studies on anti-fertility in
albino rats would be a beneficial research for social
benefits.

MEASUREMENT OF ABORTIFACIENT EFFECT:

TABLE :1- ANTI-FERTILITY, ANTI-IMPLANTATION AND EARLY ABORTIFACIENT ACTIVITY OF DODONEA VISCOSA
LINN EXTRACT
Parameters Group-I ( Drug treated ) Group-II ( Drug treated )
Animals used 10 10
Anti-implantation No. of implantations 2,4,5,0,5,0,0,3,3,2 10,7,8,4,9,6,4,6,5,3
activity No. of corpus luteum 7,5,8,4,13,6,5,14,8,6 16,12,14,9,13,11,8,15,14,7
Early abortifacient activity No. of resorbed implantation 1,2,3,2,4,1,2,2,3,1 --------------------------------
No. of corpus luteum 7,5,8,4,13,6,5,14,8,6 16,12,14,9,13,11,8,15,14,7

TABLE : 2- THE PERCENTAGE OF ANTI-IMPLANTATION, EARLY ABORTIFACIENT ACTIVITY OF DODONEA VISCOSE

LINN EXTRACT
Percentage activity for Group-I ( Drug treated ) Group–II (Control 0.5% CMC)
Anti-implantation 68.42% 47.89%
Early abortifacient activity 27.63% 0.0%
Total Anti-fertility 96.05% 47.98%

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Asian J. Res. Pharm. Sci. 2011; Vol. 1: Issue 3, Pg 77-79 [AJPSci.]

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