Calotropin - a novel compound for fertility control.

Calotropin isolated and characterized from the roots of Calotropis procera when administered to gerbils (25mg/kg b.wt) and rabbits (25mg; kg b.wt) each day for a period of 30 days inhibited the process of spermatogenesis. The population of spermatids was depleted by 65% and 94% in gerbils and rabbits. The seminiferous tubules and the Leydig cell nuclei diameters were reduced in both the species.The production of mature Leydig cells were decreased by 51.2% and 33.9% in gerbils and rabbits. The number of fibroblast like cells remain unchanged. Reduced protein, sialic acid, and glycogen contents of tests indicate dimished androgenesis. Abortifacient activity was also notived in female rats on the 12(th) day of pregnancy. In conclusion, Calotropin was found to inhibit spermatogenesis in male and induced abortion in pregnant females.