STUDY ON ANTISPERMATOGENIC AND ANTIFERTILITY EFFECTS OF Terminalia chebula IN ALBINO MICE

The search for development of an orally active, safe, reversible, and effective herbal male contraceptive has always been a matter of great interest for researchers. In the present investigation, the Parkes (P) strain albino male mice were orally administered (300 mg/kg BW/day for 28 days) acetone, methanol, 50% ethanol, cold and hot aqueous bark extracts of Terminalia chebula Retz., and alterations in reproductive organs, sperm and fertility parameters were investigated. Toxicological studies were also carried out. The treatments caused non-uniform histologic alterations in the testis and epididymis with variations among different treated groups and individuals. Mice treated with cold and hot aqueous extracts of the plant showed more severe histologic alterations in their testes and epididymes compared to those in other treated groups and controls. Sperm parameters, however, were adversely affected in all the extracts-treated mice. Libido was not affected, but fertility reduced noticeably in aqueous extracts-treated males compared to controls. Further, histology of liver, kidney, adrenal gland, and spleen, serum levels of ALT, AST and creatinine, and haematological parameters showed no alterations in extracts-treated mice. The results of the present investigation suggest that the aqueous bark extracts of T. chebula caused suppression of the spermatogenesis and fertility in P mice more effectively than the other extracts of the plant, and therefore, might be useful for male contraception.