Published December 31, 2025
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Medicinal Plants Used for the Treatment of Infertility: A Phytochemical and Natural Product Research Perspective
Authors/Creators
- 1. Research Centre and Postgraduate department of Botany, Dada Patil Mahavidyalaya, Karjat, Dist. Ahilyanagar 414402, M.S., India, affiliated to Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, M.S., India.
Description
Infertility is a major reproductive health problem affecting millions of couples worldwide and poses significant medical, psychological, and social challenges. Both male and female infertility are influenced by a complex interplay of genetic, hormonal, environmental, lifestyle, and nutritional factors. Conventional therapies such as hormone replacement, assisted reproductive technologies, and synthetic drugs are often expensive and associated with adverse effects, prompting increased interest in alternative and complementary treatment strategies. Medicinal plants have been used since antiquity in traditional systems of medicine such as Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, and various indigenous practices to manage infertility and associated reproductive disorders.
These plants are rich sources of bioactive phytochemicals including alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, phenolic compounds, terpenoids, and phytoestrogens, which exert fertility-enhancing effects through multiple pharmacological mechanisms.
The present chapter provides a comprehensive overview of medicinal plants used for the treatment of infertility and associated conditions, with special emphasis on their phytochemical composition and relevance to natural product research. Future research will aim at developing standardized, effective, and affordable plant-based therapies for reproductive health management.
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References
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