EFFECT OF GANGETIN ON FERTILITY OF MALE-RATS

This study examines the effects of subcutaneous injections of a plant pterocarpan, gangetin, isolated from the roots of Desmodium gangeticum DC. (Family Leguminosae) on the fertility of adult mate rats. Daily a dministration of gangetin (0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2.0 mg/kg body weight for 3 0 days) caused an impairment of fertility (number of implants were red uced significantly) and it was dose dependent. The treatment also caus ed a reduction in the vaginal sperm count and an enhancement of pre-im plantation losses. Complete recovery of fertility was evident 30 days after the withdrawal of gangetin treatment. The number of spermatozoa in the caput and cauda epididymis were decreased concomitant with a de crease in the motility of spermatozoa, collected from the cauda epidid ymis. The weights of testes, epididymides, vas deferens and prostate w ere also significantly decreased. It was observed that the changes in the parameters were strictly dose dependent. Also it was observed that cessation of treatment for a further period of 30 days brought full r ecovery of these effects. (C) 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.