Abstract:
This study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of a water extract of mature
leaves of Pital of betle on libido and fertility of male rats. The dose and treatment
regimen used has been previously shown to inhibit male sexual behaviour of rats (I
mL of crude extract, three times on a single day .given orally). The libido and fertility
were assessed on day of treatment and days 3, 7, 14. 28, or 35 post-treatment by
pairing each treated male overnight with a prooestins female rat. The results showed
that the extract was devoid of overt signs of toxicity but inhibited libido on the day
of treatment and impaired fertility (in terms of quantal pregnancy, number of uterine
implants and implantation index) on the day of treatment and on days 3, 7 and 28
post- treatment. The antifertility effec was accompanied with moderate to sever
oligozoospermia and a profound enhancement in pre-implantation losses. It is likely
that oligozoospermia resulted from ejaculatory disfunction and pre-implantation
loss via disruption offertilizing potential of sperm. On the other hand, the anti-libido
effect may have resulted from enhance clearance of androgens and/or altered
binding to androgen binding protein.
