Antifertility effect of Centella asiatica (L) Urban and Plucea indica (L) Urban on the number of follicles, antioxidant activity and hormonal profile of white rat’s ovaries

Antifertility agents with safety and effectiveness in terms of minimum side effects have always been a subject of debate. Many studies have been conducted on plants to observe the antifertility effect, but majority of them were toxic. Centella asiatica and Plucea indica leaves have been traditionally used as medicine for its properties to promote antifertility effect. The objective of the present study was to investigate the combination effects ofC. asiatica and P. indica leaf extract to the number of follicles, antioxidant activity, and hormonal profile of female rats. Thirty two fertile female rats (2 months), were divided into six groups and treated with different formula of the combination of C. asiatica and P. indica leaf extract: group 1 (T1) with 25 + 25 mg/kg bw, group 2 (T2) with 50 + 50 mg/kg bw, group 3 (T3) with 75 + 75 mg/kg bw, group 4 (T4) with 125 + 125 mg/kg bw, (T5) group 5 with 200 + 200 mg/kg bw, and control group (T0) treated with only 0,5% Na CMC. They were also fed for 42 days. The rat’s blood serum was taken for hormonal analysis, as well they were sacrificed and the ovarium were removed for histological and antioxidant analysis. The results revealed that C. asiatica and P. indica leaf extract influences to the number of follicles, antioxidant activity and hormonal profile of the rats. Group 4 (T4) showed the highest antifertility effect on the ovulation number (corpus lutium), total of ovarian follicles, and level of estrogen, respectively. Group 5 (T5) showed the highes level of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the lowest level of Malondialdehide (MDA). It is concluded that C. asiaticaand P. indicaexhibited antifertility effects on reproductive system of the female rats