Antitispermatogenic and antifertility effects of pegaga (centella L.)in male rats

Abstract

Global searching for antifertility agents which are safe and effective with minimu effects remains the big challenge nowadays. Many studies have been conducted to particular compounds in plants that have antifertility effect, but most of them were Pegaga or Centella asiatica L. is one of the popular herb commonly eaten raw as amongst melayu people. Traditional use of pegaga has been reported to have ant! effect on male animal. However, the effect of this medicinal herb has not been com elucidated. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of A (Centella asiatica L.) on male rat testis histology, sperm concentration, sperm motil serum testosterone level. Thirty two Sprague-Dawley adult male rats twelve wee were divided into four groups, i.e. control (distilled water); low dose group (100 body weight); medium dose group (200 mg/kg body weight); and high dose grou mg/kg body weight). All treatments were given by force feeding for 42 days. On rats were sacrificed under chloroform anesthesia. Cauda epididymal sperm concen and motility showed significant decrease while serum testosterone level was n compared to control. Treatment in medium and high dose showed the most sig reduction (p<O. 05) in sperm concentration. Histologically, testis in control group .s normal features with successive stages of transformation of the seminiferous epi into spermatozoa, whereas treated groups showed reduction of spermatozoa in th of the seminiferous tubules. It is concluded that C. asiatica L. showed antisperma and antifertility effects in male rats reproduction.