Abstract

Abrus prectaorius L. is one of the folk medicinal plants widely used as an antifertility agent in various places of Pakistan. The aim of the present study was to investigate the antifertility activity of A. prectaorius seed extract intraperitoneally administered on sperm production and DNA integrity of spermatozoa in adult male albino mice of BALB/c strain. The daily sperm production was measured by counting testicular spermtids in Horwell chamber while DNA damage in epididymal spermatozoa was determined by comet assay. The intraperitoneal administration of 20 and 60 mg/kg of ethanolic seed extract ofA. precatorius caused a highly significant (p ≤ 0.001) decrease in daily sperm production. The reversibility in sperm production was observed in all the treated animals after 20 days of withdrawal of treatment. Similarly, a highly significant increase (p ≤ 0.001) in DNA damage was observed in all the treated animals and no significant reversibility in DNA damage was observed during treatment period. This study suggests the role of seed extract of A. precatorius as an antifertility agent or contraceptive with a risk of DNA damage in spermatozoa and may lead to teratogenic effects.

Key words: Antifertility, Abrus precatorius L., sperm production, DNA damage.