Role of Anti-fertility Medicinal Plants on Male & Female Reproduction

Aim and Objective: The aim of this review was to provide a detailed concept to the researchers on antifertility activity of several plants inhibiting male and female fertility and may be developed into contraceptives. Despite of many medicinal plants have been claimed to prevent fertility, only few plants were so far been investigated for their antifertility activity. Materials and Methods: An extensive bibliographic investigation was carried out by analyzing various classical text books, scientific journals, consulting worldwide accepted databases for


INTRODUCTION
Antifertility agents are those which are capable of preventing ovulation or fertilization and able to induce termination of pregnancy [1]. Overpopulation is becoming one of the global problems causing much influence on economic, social and natural resources [2]. The increase in population is alarming the developing world in the need for effective birth control measures [3]. One of the serious problems in the developing countries like India is over population and which would be increased about 9.2 billion by the year 2050 [4].
Although a several synthetic contraceptive agents are available today, their use is associated with severe side effects, such as hormonal imbalance, hypertension, increased risk of cancer and weight gain [5]. Hence people are looking forward to the tradition of using herbal medicines, which have minimum and less side effects [6].
Medicinal plants are been using form many centuries to treat both mental and physical illness and to improve health of individuals, and approximately 80% of medical treatments are practicing by the developing countries [7]. However in the recent past much interest has been shown to control regulation of fertility by using medicinal plants [8]. Fertility regulation comprising contraception and management of infertility forms an important component of reproductive health [9].
Several plant extracts inhibit male and female fertility and may be developed into contraceptives. Despite of many medicinal plants have been claimed to prevent fertility, only few plants were so far been investigated for their antifertility activity. Moreover the World Health Organization (WHO) has set up a task force on plant research to find out new orally active non-steroidal contraceptive compounds [10].

Mechanism of Action of Antifertility Plants
Medicinal plants have been reported to possess antifertility effects by various mechanism of actions, one of the major action is their effect on sex hormones particularly for suppressing fertility, regularizing menstrual cycle, relieving dysmennoroea, treating enlarged prostate, menopausal symptoms, breast pain etc., [11].
More over plants with estrogenic property can directly influence pituitary action by peripheral modulation of luteinzing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), decreasing their secretions and blocking ovulation [12]. The plants with anti-estrogenic activities intercept in the process of development of ovum and endometrium and on the other hand, plants have abortifacient effects [13,14].
The site of action of antifertility agents in females, comprises of the hypothalamus, the anterior pituitary, the ovary, the oviduct, the uterus and the vagina. The mammalian uterus is the main site of antifertility effects [11]. Typical estrogenic compounds possess ability to increase the uterine wet weigh and induce cornification and opening of vagina in immature rats which results anti-implantation effects [15].
Plant extracts are also shown promising antifertility effects when administered to male rats. The various effects on male reproductive system to induce antifertility action shown by plants includes antispermatogenic effect, post-testicular antifertility effect, spermicidal, sperm immobilizing effect, antiandrogenic effect etc.,.
Therefore, aim of the present study has been made to review antifertility activity of selected medicinal plants which have been used as herbal contraceptives

MATERIALS AND METHODS
The information provided in this review, was a result of an extensive bibliographic investigation by analyzing classical text books, scientific journals, consulting worldwide accepted databases. The peer reviewed papers were gathered from different databases like SCOPUS, PUBMED, Google Scholar, INFLIBNET etc. over all 233 plants were reviewed for their antifertility effects along with their possible mechanism of actions, part used, family and animal used.
This reviw was concentrated to incorporate list of various plants, that have been mentioned for their use as antifertility agents in traditional medicinal, and along with that it also contains plant extracts, those which are already proved by various scientific papers.

RESULTS
More than 300 scientific peer reviewed articles were investigated for searching the traditional/folk-lore use of plants possessing antifertility activity. The various plants claimed and proved as antifertility, abortifacient, contraceptive, spermicidal, emmenagogue etc were included.
Following is the list of plants reported to possess antifertility effects along with their parts used and mechanism of actions.

DISCUSSION
Medicinal plants, since ancient times have a long history of traditional use in all parts of world. In India as well as other parts in  the world there are several medicinal  plants which are reported to possess  antifertility properties [224]. There are several plants reported by the medical historians that can possess abortifacient, contraceptive and emmenagogue properties [154].
The objective of this review is to present a detailed and analyzed ethnopharmacological data of 233 plant species for regulating fertilization and conception which are being used by the various tribes all over the world during last few decades. The names of the plants including their family, part used, animal used and mechanism of action were included in the  [33], Piper longum [167], Ruta graveolens [182], Santalum album [185], Terminalia arjuna [197], Trigonella foenumgraecum [200], Urginea indica [206], Vernonia amygdalina [211], Withania somnifera [218], Zinziber officinale [33], Ziziphus nummularia [221] confirmed potent antifertility effects.

CONCLUSION
In conclusion, it is clear that medicinal plants play an important role as antifertility agents. Despite of various commercially available oral contraceptives in the market, herbal antifertility agents shows promising output by minimizing the number of adverse drug properties. Current research towards traditional medicine is growing rapidly because of its safety and less cost consumption.
Moreover the present review has provided latest information regarding new plant species which are not covered till now, and many of them still lacks suitable scientific evidence despite of their antifertility claims. This makes the researchers to carry out their research on such antifertility agents which lacks suitable evidence. As listed many of the 233 plant species appear to be an effective alternative to the commercial antifertility compounds.

LIMITATIONS AND FUTURE RECOMMENDATIONS
Majority of plants mentioned in this review has been used as traditional antifertility agents, have not been thoroughly and scientifically studied on animals. Present data also lacks in providing information on toxic effects of tested extracts, and also the information regarding studies carried out on human subjects. Hence, it is clear that further investigation is required to potentiate the effects of medicinal plants as antifertility agents in both animals and humans. Therefore significant research is required to be done to investigate the chemical and biological properties of such less explored plants.

CONSENT
It is not applicable.

ETHICAL APPROVAL
It is not applicable.