Antifertility efficacy of Drynaria quercifolia (L.) J. Smith on female Wister albino rats

Abstract

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Plant based traditional medicines for birth control has been in practice in rural populations of North-East India, since time immemorial. Fresh rhizome of Drynaria quercifolia (L.) J. Smith is one of the plant parts used traditionally by different ethnic communities in Tripura, India for birth control. The present investigation is aimed to justify the scientific basis in traditional use of Drynaria quercifolia rhizome as anti-fertility agent.

Materials and methods: Ex-vivo uterotonic activity was done on uterine tissue. Acute toxicity test of the plant extract was carried out in rats of both sexes. The abortifacient and anti-implantation activities of the extract were investigated, in-vivo and estimated the level of different hormones release.

Results: The result revealed the effectiveness of methanol (87%) and aqueous (68%) extract of the plant on uterotonic activity. The extracts showed relatively non-toxic effect in acute toxicity study. Methanolic extract has shown higher efficacy for both abortifacient (**p<0.01) and anti-implantation performance (**p<0.01) and also effected hormone release level (**p<0.01).

Conclusion: Methanolic extract of Drynaria quercifolia (L.) J. Smith rhizome has been proved to have significant anti-fertility activity.

Keywords: Antifertility agent; Contraceptive; Drynaria quercifolia (L.) J. Smith; Medicinal plants.