CONTRACEPTIVE EFFICACY OF CARICA-PAPAYA SEED EXTRACT IN MALE-MICE (MUS MUSCULUS)

The effects of an aqueous extract of Carica papaya seeds (20 mg/kg bod y weight/animal/day orally and 5 mg/kg body weight/animal/day i.m. for 60 days) were investigated for contraceptive efficacy and other relat ed side effects in mate albino mice, Mus musculus, The data revealed t hat the extract might be causing an androgen deprived effect to target organs resulting in alterations in the internal milieu of the cauda e pididymis especially. The treatment did not, however, affect the testi cular sperm count suggesting that it acted at the post-testicular leve l which lead to a reduction of cauda epididymal sperm motility and thu s the treatment brought about a significant reduction in fertility rat e, The induced effects were transient and reversible upon withdrawal o f the treatment, elucidating that functional sterility could be induce d by the aqueous papaya seed extract in rodents.