Research Journal of Medicinal Plants1819-34552151-7924Science International10.3923/rjmp.2014.82.91 Terminalia arjuna in Male Albino Rats]]>ChattopadhyayAlok SenguptaRonojoy ParveenShaba 2201482Terminalia arjuna is a well-known medicinal plant for its antidysentric, antipyretic, astringent, gastroprotective, hypocholesterolemic and cardiotonic properties. Conversely, antispermatogenic effect of this plant has also been reported. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of bark extract of this plant on gonadal steroidogenesis, spermatogenesis and plasma gonadotrophin (FSH and LH) levels in male albino rats. Wistar strain adult rats were administered orally with alcoholic extract of its bark dissolved in distilled water at the dose of 150 mg kg-1 day-1 for 7, 14 and 21 days. Testicular steroidogenesis was evaluated by spectrophotometric assay of the activities of 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17-β HSD) and Δ5-3β hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (Δ5-3β HSD) and radioimmunoassay of plasma testosterone level. Plasma FSH and LH levels were also determined by radioimmunoassay. Spermatogenic activity was evaluated by counting the germ cells at stage VII of seminiferous cycle. Treatment for 21 days led to significant decrease in the activities of steroidogenic enzymes, plasma testosterone level and gametogenic activity. These parameters showed non-significant changes in the 7 and 14 days treatment group and no significant change was found in plasma gonadotrophin levels at any of the above durations. Though the exact mechanism of this antigonadal effect cannot be determined from the present study, one of the active constituents, β-sitosterol (a phytosterol) might be involved in this inhibition. Moreover, since treatment at the above dose and duration caused this effect, these data may have some clinical implication. Therefore, during its long-term medicinal use this adverse effect should be given due importance.]]>Abercrombie, M.,194694239247Almiron, I., H. Domene and H.E. Chemes,19845235242Aman, R.P.,1970Vol. 1,pp: 433-482pp: 433-482Biswas, N.M., P.K. Ghosh, K.K. Ghosh and O.W. Neuhaus,198396321327Chatterjee, A. and S.C. Pakrashi,1994Chauhan, S., S. Agarwal and R. Mathur,1990Terminalia arjuna W. and A. bark in albino rats.]]>22491494Choudhary, A.K. and E. Steinberger,197512609617Christianson-Heiska, I., P. Smeds, N. Granholm, E. Bergelin and B. Isomaa,2007Danio rerio).]]>145518527Clermont, Y. and H. Morgentaler,195557369382Das, D.,1981pp: 271-288pp: 271-288Devi, R.S., S. Narayan, G. Vani and C.S. Shyamala-Devi,2007Terminalia arjuna bark on diclofenac sodium induced gastric ulcer.]]>1677183Dhawan, B.N., G.K. Patnaik, R.P. Rastogi, K.K. Singh and J.S. Tandon,197715208219Elliott, W.H. and D.C. Elliott,2005Gupta, R., S. Singhal, A. Guyle and V.N. Sharma,2001Terminalia arjuna tree-bark powder: A randomised placebo-controlled trial.]]>49231235Jacobs, L.S.,1974Jarabak, J., J.A. Adams, H.G. Williams-Ashman and P. Talalay,1962237345357Jha, R.K. and V.P. Dixit,1986Terminalia arjuna and Sapindus trifoliatus (50% ethanolic extract) in male albino rats]]>569499Kula, K.,19881223439Leblond, C.P. and Y. Clermont,195255548573MacLatchy, D.L. and G.L. Van Der Kraak,1995134305312Miller, A.L.,19983422431Murono, E.P. and A.H. Payne,1979In vivo effect of gonadotropins in steroidogenic enzyme in hypophysectomized immature rats]]>20911917Nakari, T. and K. Erkomaa,2003123267273Nieminen, P., I. Polonen, K. Ikonen, M. Maattanen and A.M. Mustonen,2008Neovisonvison).]]>71493499Onoda, M., D. Djakiew and V. Papadopoulos,199177207216Register, B., M.A. Bethel, N. Thompson, D. Walmer, P. Blohm, L. Ayyash and C. Jr. Hughes ,19952087277Santen, R.J.,19991999pp: 632-668pp: 632-668Sarkar, M., N.M. Biswas and D. Ghosh,19915-3β and 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activities in albino rats: Dose- and duration-dependent responses.]]>19789790Steinberger, E.C.,197151122Talalay, P.,1962Waites, G.M.H. and R.T. Gladwell,198262624671Weinbauer, G.F., J. Gromoll, M. Simoni and E. Nieschlag,2001Greenwood, F.C., W.M. Hunter and J.S. Glover,1963131I-labelled human growth hormone of high specific radioactivity.]]>89114123Chattopadhyay, A., M. Sarkar, R. Sengupta, G. Roychowdhury and N.M. Biswas,199924393397Biswas, N.M., A. Chattopadhyay and M. Sarkar,200476629636