ISSN 0974-3618
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0974-360X (Online)
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Antifertility Effects of Rhizome
of Curcuma longa on Seminal Parameters of Swiss Albino Male Mice
Anita Raj Hembrom*, Aarti Verma, V.N. Singh
University Department of Zoology, T.M.
Bhagalpur University, Bhagalpur– 812007, Bihar, INDIA
*Corresponding Author E-mail: leoannie83@gmail.com
The effects of
aqueous extract of rhizome of Curcuma
longa on the seminal parameters of Swiss Albino male mice were investigated
in this study. 36 mice were divided into six groups of six mice each with one
group serving as control. Distilled water (0.1 ml) was administrated orally to
control group while remaining five groups were fed with 0.1 ml (500 mg/kg
BW/day) aqueous extract of rhizome of Curcuma
longa for 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 days. After completion of respective days,
controls along with treated mice were sacrificed and semen from caudal
epididymal part was assessed for seminal parameters such as sperm counts,
motility of spermatozoa, seminal pH and mortality of the sperms. Sperm counts,
sperm motility and seminal pH of cauda epididymis shows highly significant
decline during 30 to 50 days treatment (p<0.001) than the control while
mortality of spermatozoa increases significantly (p<0.001) than the control
group of mice. Such significant alteration suggest that aqueous extract of
rhizome of Curcuma longa produced
adverse effects in seminal parameters and thus cause infertility among the
treated groups of mice.
KEYWORDS: Curcuma longa, seminal parameters, contraception.
INTRODUCTION:
Population explosion imposes an extra
burden on the community and it is one of the leading causes of poverty and
pollution in developing countries like India. Herbal contraceptives were used
even by the primitive people of ancient civilizations to control fertility and
prevent pregnancy 1. Though, the conventional medicine has
discovered some important antifertility agents for female, there are no methods
available for male contraception except for the barrier method, withdrawal and
vasectomy. Numerous herbs have been used historically to control fertility.
Several plant products inhibit male and female fertility and may be developed
into contraceptives 2, 3. Treatment with such plant materials
results in infertility by reducing the sperm count, motility, fertility and
viability as well as increasing the amount of abnormal sperm.
Curcuma longa (turmeric) is a tall herb
belonging to the family of Zingiberaceae of monocotyledons. The active
principle obtained from the rhizome of the plant turmeric is curcumin. The
rhizome shows some medicinal properties like Anti-inflammatory4,
hypolipidemic5, anti-cancerous6, antibacterial7,
antiviral8 etc. Curcuma longa has
been reported to possess antifertility activity9-12. Various
extracts of Curcuma longa rhizome
have been reported to cause significant decline in pregnancies in female rats 13.
Petroleum ether and aqueous extract of turmeric rhizome exhibit 100%
antifertility activity in female rats14. The aqueous and alcoholic
extracts of Curcuma longa has also
been reported to inhibit completely the fertility with reduction of sperm count
and motility and germ cell populations in male rats15,16.
In this present investigation an attempts
have been made to study the anti-fertility effects of rhizome of Curcuma longa on the physical parameters
of the sperm of caput epididymis of Swiss Albino male mice.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
36 healthy and fertile adult male Swiss
albino mice of body weight 25-30 g were taken from the animal house of the
University Department of Zoology, T.M. Bhagalpur University, Bihar for
experiment. All experimental animals maintained in normal animal husbandry
condition were kept separately and were divided into six groups each consisting
of six mice. One group was considered as control group while rest five were
considered as experimental groups.
The dried rhizomes of Curcuma longa were purchased from the local market
and were identified by the Department of Botany of T.M. Bhagalpur University,
Bihar. These rhizomes were grinded, sieved and 1.5g fine powder was dissolved
in 10ml of distilled water. The control group mice were fed 0.1ml distilled
water and experimental mice were fed 0.1ml aqueous extract of Curcuma longa for 10, 20,30, 40 and 50
days respectively (500 mg/kg BW/day) orally with the help of gastric catheter.
After completion of each respective day control along with experimental mice
were killed by cervical dislocation. For seminal parameters assessment, both
the caput were taken out and teased in 2ml of normal saline. Seminal content
were sieved by a metallic net to avoid any other tissue contamination. Sample
was stained with eosin and counting of sperms was done with the help of
haemocytometer after the Method of Eliasson 17. During the course of
study motility, mortality and caudal seminal pH were also studied. Motility of
spermatozoa was observed after the Method of Tijee and Oentoeng 18.
For statistical analysis data obtained were analyzed by Student’s t test.
RESULTS:
In the present investigation oral feeding
of extract of rhizome of Curcuma longa causes
significant decline in seminal parameters like sperm count (p<0.001), sperm
motility (p<0.001) and seminal pH (p<0.001) of mice than the control.
However the mortality of spermatozoa shows significant increase (p<0.001) than
the control. As indicated in the Table 1, sperm count, sperm motility and
seminal pH shows highly significant decrease during 30 to 50 days (P<0.001)
among Curcuma longa treated group of
mice than the control. While mortality of spermatozoa in caudal semen shows
highly significant increased after 30 to 50 days (P<0.001) treatment than
the control group.
DISCUSSION:
As indicated in Table-1 Curcuma longa rhizome shows
antifertility effects in Swiss Albino male mice. Male mice treated with Curcuma longa oral dose of 0.1ml per day
shows significant reduction in sperm counts than the control group of mice. Curcuma longa rhizome extract cause
significant reduction in the androgen level 19 and thus affect the
whole process of spermatogenesis causing significant decrease in sperm count.
This indicates direct interference with testicular spermatogenic elements in
the treated group of mice. Sperm motility is one of the important parameter in
evaluating the fertilization ability of the ejaculated spermatozoa. Reduction
in the sperm motility suggests alteration in process of sperm maturation in the
epididymis which depends on the circulating androgen level. Significant
decrease in the motility of spermatozoa in the treated groups of mice is due to
anti-androgenic effects of the Curcuma
longa rhizome causing immobilization or weakening of sperm cells. Curcuma
longa rhizome treatment also causes significant decrease in the seminal pH
of cauda epididymis. This reduction in seminal pH also leads to decrease in the
sperm motility as spermatozoa are very fragile at lower pH 20.
Significantly higher mortality of spermatozoa in Curcuma longa rhizome treated mice is may be due to lower seminal
pH and decreased motility of the spermatozoa 21, 22.
The present study thus concluded that the
aqueous extract of Curcuma longa rhizome show the antifertility effects in male mice
by significantly decreasing sperm counts, sperm motility and seminal pH and
cause significantly higher mortality of spermatozoa. As these parameters are
very important in evaluating the fertile status of the male subject alteration
in these seminal qualities by the treatment shows antifertility effects and can
be used as one of oral contraceptive agents for fertility control among male
subjects.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:
The authors are
thankful to the Head of the Department, University Department of Zoology, T. M.
Bhagalpur University Bhagalpur for providing necessary
laboratory facilities.
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