Postcoital Contraceptive Efficacy and Hormonal Profile of Lepidium capitatum [1]

Abstract

Hexane soluble fraction of Lepidium capitatum Hook. f. & Thoms. prevented pregnancy in adult female rats when administered orally at a daily dose of 250 mg/kg on days 1-5 post-coitum. At lower doses, there was a dose dependent inhibition of pregnancy and reduction in implantation number. It failed, however, to prevent pregnancy in hamsters up to 500 mg/kg daily dose. In ovariectomized immature female rats, the extract exhibited potent estrogenic activity at the comparable contraceptive dose, but was devoid of any antiestrogenic activity. Significant uterotrophic effect was discerned even at 1/40th the contraceptive dose. The extract also induced implantation of blastocysts in mice undergoing experimentally induced delayed implantation, confirming its frank estrogenicity.

1 Communication No. 3314

1 Communication No. 3314