Abstract
Objective
The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential antifertility activity of
feeding diets containing 30% fenugreek seeds to male and female white New Zealand
rabbits.
Results
The data presented in this study clearly demonstrate an antifertility effect of fenugreek
seeds in the female rabbits and more of a toxicity effect in the male rabbits. In
males, testis weight was reduced, with evident damage to the seminiferous tubules
and interstitial tissues as shown by the histopathology of testis tissue sections.
In addition, the plasma concentration of the androgen hormone and sperm concentrations
were halved in the treated animals. In the case of the females, there was evidence
of a significant reduction of developing fetuses as observed by reductions of both
fetal and placental weights at 20 days of gestation and of the litter size. This was
further supported histopathologically by the observed proliferative changes of the
endometrial glands. The circulating plasma progesterone concentrations at 10 and 20
days of gestation significantly increased with no significant effect on the prebreeding
estrogen concentrations in the treated animals.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: November 02, 2005
Accepted:
August 1,
2005
Received in revised form:
July 30,
2005
Received:
February 11,
2005
Identification
Copyright
© 2006 Elsevier Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
