ANTIFERTILITY EFFECTS OF SOME COUMARINS ISOLATED FROM RUTA-CHALEPENSIS AND R-CHALEPENSIS VAR LATIFOLIA IN RODENTS

Crude extracts of Ruta chalepensis and R. chalepensis var. latifolia s howed antifertility activity in female rats. In order to establish the active constituents which may be responsible for this effect, a group of selected coumarins and alkaloids were tested in vivo. Although cha lepensin, bergaptol, chalepin and xanthatoxin showed antifertility act ivity, 70% of the test animals developed cystic and atretic follicles in their ovaries and glomerulocapsular adhesion and segmental fusion w as observed in the kidneys. No harmful effect was observed in the brai n. Alkaloids in this study showed no antifertility activity.