Evaluation of Cissampelos pareira root for antifertility activity

Bacground: The practice of traditional medicine for the control of fertility in most parts of India is based on the uses of plant medicines for many years. Cissampelos pareira Linn. is one of the folk medicinal plants commonly used as antifertility agent in some places of India. Objective: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the antifertility effect of the methanolic extract of Cissampelos pareira root with mechanism of action. Methods: The methanolic extract of Cissampelos pareira root were investigated for its effect on estrous cycle, effect on implantation and reproductive hormones in female rats at two oral dose level: 250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg. Serum estradiol and progesterone level were estimated by ELISA method. Serums were isolated from blood samples collected on 12th, 19th, and 21st day of pregnancy.Results: No significant effect on extending the estrous cycle has been found with methanolic extracts of Cissampelos pareira root [CPR] treated group as compared to control group. Reduction in the number of implants in CPR treated group is significant. Furthermore, there is no significant change in serum estradiol and progesterone level from day 12th to 19th in CPR treated groups as compared to control group. Conclusion: All these observations suggest that CPR neither has any effect on extending the estrous cycle nor on implantation. We may conclude that alkaloids, the chief chemical constituent, present in CPR has no role in regulating the fertility.