DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2017.v05i01.0012

Pages: 62-64

The aim of the study is to evaluate the antifertility activity of ethanolic extract of Costus pictus rhizome in female rats. The Genus Costus pictus is an important medicinal plant called as insulin plant belonging to the family Costaceae. The rhizome of Costus pictus contains Diasogenin a steroidal saponin which is a potent antifertility agent. The antifertility activity of ethanolic extract of Costus pictus rhizome was evaluated in female rats. The extract at 200 and 400mg/kg was administered once daily for 19 days to female rats after gestation and on 20th day the rats were sacrificed to observe various parameters like Percentage of pregnant female animals in each group (PPF), Mean live foetal number per pregnant female (LFN), Mean foetal crown-rump length (FCRL), Mean corpus luteum number per pregnant female (CLN) and The Fertility Index. There was significant decrease in above parameter compared to control which indicate that the ethanolic extract of Costus pictus showed antifertility activity in female rats.