Volume 107, Issue 3, 11 October 2006, Pages 365–369
Studies on the luteolytic, oestrogenic and follicle-stimulating hormone like activity of plant Rhaphidophora pertusa (Roxb.)
Abstract
The phytochemical, pharmacological and toxicological feature of plant Rhaphidophora pertusa (Roxb.)
was done. Phytosteroids, flavonoids, tannins and glucosides were
detected in the plant extracts. In cross-bred (Zebu X Holstein-Friesian
or Jersey) dairy cows, subsequent to prostaglandin (PG) induced oestrus,
to each group (n = 4), cloprostenol (PG control) 100 μg i.m.
on day 10, the rice gruel (vehicle) was fed on day 10 or the fresh stem
(1 kg/animal/day) in rice gruel on day 9, or days 9 and 10, or days 9–11
of the oestrous cycle. Each group received subcutaneously either 5% gum
acacia suspension or the plant ethyl acetate or methanol extract (1 g
in gum acacia) on days 8 (to bannur ewes) or 10 (to dairy cows) of the
oestrous cycle. In PG control cows or ewes, there was induction of
oestrus in 48 h and a fall in serum progesterone concentration. The
feeding of fresh stem in the rice gruel or the s.c. administration of
the plant extract did not induce oestrus or significantly (P > 0.05)
alter the serum progesterone, bilirubin, calcium, creatinine,
phosphorus, magnesium and glucose concentrations or the total
erythrocyte and leucocyte count, differential leucocyte count and
haemoglobin concentration. The plant did not cause any toxicity in the
cow or ewe. In immature rats, the aqueous or methanol (hot or cold)
extract did not cause any follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)-like
activity. The methanol extract increased the uterine weight in
ovariectomised rats. This suggested the presence of oestrogenic activity
in the plant. In conclusion, the present study revealed the presence of
oestrogenic activity in the plant and the absence of luteolytic or
FSH-like or toxic activity.
Keywords
- Rhaphidophora pertusa;
- Radioimmunoassay;
- Non-pregnant;
- Oestrus luteolytic activity;
- Follicle stimulating like activity
1. Introduction
There
is a growing interest in search for naturally active compounds in
plants affecting the reproductive activity. One such plant is Rhaphidophora pertusa (Roxb.).
It belongs to family Arecea, a climbing shrub distributed throughout
India, Srilanka, Cambodia, Venezuela, Malaysia, Australia and Indonesia (
Kiritikar and Basu, 2001). In India, it is naturally present in evergreen and moist deciduous forests ( Bhat, 2003).
In India, the farmer community feed the chopped stem of this plant
along with rice gruel for 3 days to induce oestrus in cattle and
buffaloes ( Narayana et al., 2003).
The present investigation assessed the phytochemical analysis and the
reproductive and toxic effect of this plant and its extracts in cattle,
sheep and rat.