Skip to content
Research Article Open access CC BY 4.0

Effects of Hydro-ethanolic Leaf Extract of Sida acuta on Female Albino Rats’ Reproductive Potential and Weight: An Interventional Study

Ibeagi, A. Chinedu, Muhammed, Y. Bawa, Bamidele, O. Titilayo, Daikwo, A. Moses, Ashikaa, A. Benedict

Asian Journal of Research in Biochemistry · pp. 23–34 · Published 21 Mar 2023

10.9734/ajrb/2023/v12i1226

Abstract

Background: Human fertility control (family planning) is among the major approaches through which unwanted pregnancy can be curbed. Hence, utilization of medicinal herbs in the development and formulation of products, as an alternative to conventional drugs, is one of the method options to achieve this. Aim: This study was designed to assess the contraceptive potentials of hydro-ethanolic leaf extract of Sida acuta, through evaluating its effects on fertility hormones, pregnancy status, and body weight of female albino rats. Method: This experiment was conducted using thirty five (35) sexually matured albino rats. Using a CRD, the rats were randomly divided into five (5) groups of seven (7) rats each, with five (5) female and two (2) male replicate assigned to each group. The Control group (Group 1) did not receive any treatment. The females in the standard group (Group 2) were administerd with levonorgestrel-etinyl estradiol (standard drug) 7.5/0.75mg/kg b.w./day p.o. The females in the test groups (Groups 3, 4 and 5) were administered the plant extract at different doses of 100mg/kg b.w./day (Low dose), 200mg/kg b.w./day (Medium dose) and 400mg/kg b.w./day (High dose) p.o. respectively, for 28days. The initial and final body weights of the animals were measured. The qualitative and quantitative phytochemical analyses of hydro-ethanolic leaf extract of Sida acuta, as well as the GC-MS analysis were also performed using standard methods. Furthermore, the effects of the extract were checked on the reproductive hormones (FSH, LH, Progesterone and Estrogen), pregnancy status as well as the body weight of the animals. Results: The results revealed the presence of bioactive compounds in the hydro-ethanolic leaf extract of Sida acuta which may be responsible for the contraceptive potentials of the plant. There were decreased levels of FSH across the groups. There was no pregnancy outcome in group 5 (high-dose group). And there was a significant weight reduction in group 5 (high-dose group). Conclusion: The result suggested that the hydro-ethanolic leaf extract of Sida acuta has suppressive effects on the reproductive hormones (especially the gonadotropins) at higher dose, thereby establishing its contraceptive potentials as confirmed by the pregnancy outcome. Also, the extract is capable of significantly decreasing body weight at a high dose.

Sida acuta contraceptives hydro-ethanolic extract hormones phytochemicals gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy estrogenic substance

References (25)

  1. 1 Magnitude and complex based diffusion signal reconstruction [DOI]
  2. 2 Phytochemical constituents of some Nigerian medicinal plants [DOI]
  3. 3 Medicinal Plants and Traditional Medicine in Africa [DOI]
  4. 4 Intended and Unintended Pregnancies Worldwide in 2012 and Recent Trends [DOI]
  5. 5 Induced abortion: incidence and trends worldwide from 1995 to 2008 [DOI]
  6. 6 Bioactive phenolic compounds, metabolism and properties: a review on valuable chemical compounds in Scots pine and Norway spruce [DOI]
  7. 7 Aphrodisiac potentials of the aqueous extract of Fadogia agrestis (Schweinf. Ex Hiern) stem in male albino rats [DOI]
  8. 8 In vitro Antifungal Potentials of Bioactive Compound Methyl Ester of Hexadecanoic Acid Isolated from Annona muricata Linn. (Annonaceae) Leaves [DOI]
  9. 9 Estimation of drug-likeness properties of GC–MS separated bioactive compounds in rare medicinal Pleione maculata using molecular docking technique and SwissADME in silico tools [DOI]
  10. 10 FSH in therapy: physiological basis, new preparations and clinical use [DOI]
  11. 11 GC-MS ANALYSIS OF PHYTOCHEMICAL COMPOUNDS PRESENT IN THE RHIZOMES OF Nervilia aragoana GAUD
  12. 12 Reproductive hormonal responses to ergotamine and ergonovine in cows during the luteal phase of the estrous cycle. [DOI]
  13. 13 Azadirachta indica A. Juss (neem) as a contraceptive: An evidence-based review on its pharmacological efficiency [DOI]
  14. 14 Age and diet shape the genetic architecture of body weight in diversity outbred mice [DOI]
  15. 15 Effects of some traditional plant extracts on rat oestrous cycle compared with Clomid [DOI]
  16. 16 New rat to mouse xenograft transplantation of endometrium as a model of human endometriosis [DOI]
  17. 17 Endocrine Disruption and Developmental Abnormalities of Female Reproduction [DOI]
  18. 18 The timing of placental competence in pregnancy after oocyte donation [DOI]
  19. 19 Phytochemical Profile, Safety and Efficacy of a Herbal Mixture Used for Contraception by Traditional Health Practitioners in Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality, South Africa [DOI]
  20. 20 In Vitro Assessment of the Cercaricidal Activity of Sida acuta Burm. F. and Sida rhombifolia Linn. (Malvaceae) Hydroethanolic Extracts, Cytotoxicity, and Phytochemical Studies [DOI]
  21. 21 Natural Estrogenic Substances, Origins, and Effects [DOI]
  22. 22 The potential production of aromatic compounds in flowers of Vanda tricolor [DOI]
  23. 23 The Electrolytic Effect of Sida Acuta Leaf Extract on the Kidney Electrolyte of Adult Wistar Rats
  24. 24 Exact and approximate radiation amplitude zeros: phenomenological aspects
  25. 25 Journal of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Research, 2015, 7(7):933-939

Cited by 2

Traditional and modern practitioners' perceptions on traditional medicine use in reproductive health among the Khoisan of Zimbabwe

Nicholas Mudonhi, B. Tlou, W. N. Nunu · Frontiers in Reproductive Health · 2026

Showing 1 of 2 known citations — external sources report more than can currently be individually listed.

Related research

Article metrics

Real usage data collected on this platform.

54

Page views

0

PDF downloads

12

Outbound clicks

2

Citations

Views over time

Views by country

Approximate, from request IP at view time — not citizenship or institution. Countries with fewer than 5 views are grouped as "Other".

Traffic sources

Referring site, by host.

Views and downloads exclude known bots/crawlers. Citations combines this platform's own DOI-resolved index with each external source's own reported total — see Cited by above for individually listed citing works. Last refreshed 0 seconds ago.