GANGETIN - A REPRODUCTIVE INHIBITOR IN MALE RATS

Gangetin, a plant pterocarpan when administered subcutaneously to adul t male rats at a dose of 2 mglkg body weight/day for 56 days caused a significant reduction in mating rate, Also a decrease in the weight of the testes and accessory sex organs, a decrease in fructose-content o f the coagulating gland and a reduction in acid phosphatase activity i n the prostate were observed. All these effects were found to be rever sed by exogenous prolactin (500 mu g/kg body weight/day) plus testoste rone propionate (200 mu g/kg body weight/day), but not by prolactin or testosterone alone, when administered along with gangetin for the las t 28 days. An inhibitory influence of gangetin over the reproductive o rgans is believed to be attributed primarily to the antiprolactin natu re of gangetin and secondary to the significant (p<0.001) fall in plas ma testosterone level caused by gangetin. (C) 1997 by John Wiley & San s, Ltd.