Anti-fertility and abortifacient potential of hydroalcoholic leaves extract of Alstonia scholaris in female rats: An ethnomedicine used by Papua women in New Guinea

Aim of the study: Alstonia scholaris Linn. (Family: Apocynaceae) commonly known as Devilʼs tree or Saptaparna tree, is traditionally used by the women of Papua New Guinea to induce abortion. Aim of the present study is to investigate the anti-fertility potential of hydro-alcoholic leaves extract of Alstonia scholaris Linn. (HAAS) in female rats.Materials and methods: The anti-fertility activity of HAAS administered. at 250 and 500 mg/kg doses was evaluated in three animal models. In abortifacient activity, the extract was administered to female rats from 1 to 7 days of pregnancy and on 10th day, laparotomy was performed to count the number of implants. For estrogenic/anti-estrogenic activity, ovariectomized female rats were administered with the HAAS alone as well as with 17α-ethinyl estradiol (EE) (1 μ/rat/day) for 7 consecutive days. On the 8th day, all animals were sacrificed and blood serum was further processed for the estimation of biochemical parameters.Results: The HAAS showed 41.67% and 61.91% abortifacient activities at 250 and 500 mg/kg doses respectively. In addition, HAAS also produced an irregular pattern of estrous cycle in all the treated rats. The extract also exhibited estrogenic activity as evidenced by increase in body weight, uterine weight, increased thickness and height of endometrium at higher dose when administered alone as well as along with EE as compare to control.Conclusions: HAAS possesses anti-fertility effect due to the inhibition of implantation and estrogenic effect which in turn might be due to the presence of active phytoconstituents in the plant