Antifertility effects of Oldenlandia affinis in male rats - a preliminary study

Antifertility effects of an aqueous leaf extract of Oldenlandia affinis on male rats were investigated. The extract was administered intraperitoneally in sexually mature male rats at a dose of 24 mg/rat (n=8) for a total of eight injections over a 4 week period. There was a decrease in testis weights but all other accessory sex organs and vital organ weights were not affected by treatment with O. affinis extract. Testis histology revealed fewer spermatozoa or azoospermic seminiferous tubules in treated animals compared to controls with no change in neither tubule thickness nor Sertoli cell structure. O. affinis treatment caused a 17% decrease in sperm motility but there was no change in cauda epididymal sperm counts. However, serum testosterone levels decreased significantly (P<0.05) in the experimental group (602.4 ± 57 ng/dL) compared to controls (808.9 ± 55 ng/dL). These preliminary results show that the aqueous leaf extract of O. affinis suppresses fertility parameters in male rats.