The ethanolic extract of the whole plant of Striga orobanchioides give
n for 7 days to immature male rats at a dose level of 200 mg/kg body w
eight caused a significant decrease in the weight of the testes, epidi
dymis, seminal vesicles and the ventral prostate. It also produced deg
enerative changes of Leydig cells, their nucleus, the seminiferous tub
ules and a significant decrease in the number of spermatocytes and spe
rmatids. The seminiferous tubules of the treated rats are shrunken and
compactly arranged. The antiandrogenic or antispermatogenic effect of
the extract is discussed. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.