Antispermatogenic and antifertility effect of Pegaga (Centella asiatica L) on the testis of male Sprague-Dawley rats

Aim. Antifertility agents with safety and effectiveness in terms of minimum side effects have always been a subject of debate. Many studies have been conducted on plants to observe the antifertility effect, but majority of them were toxic. Pegaga or Centella asiatica L. is one of the popular herb traditionally consumed raw amongst people in Malaysia. The main objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of Centella asiatica L. extract on rat testis. Materials and Methods. Thirty two Sprague-Dawley adult male rats, (12 weeks) were divided into four groups:- (I) control group (with distilled water), (II) low dose group (with 100 mg/kg body weight extract), (III) medium dose group (with 200 mg/kg body weight extract), and (IV) high dose group (with 300 mg/kg body weight extract) and force fed for 42 days. The rats were then sacrificed and the testis were removed for histological analysis. Results. The testis in the control group showed normal features with successive stages of transformation of the seminiferous epithelium into spermatozoa, whereas treated groups showed some degeneration of spermatogenic cells and reduction of spermatozoa in the lumen of the seminiferous tubules. Serum testosterone level was reduced in all treatment groups as compared to the control while cauda epididymal sperm count and motility showed significant decrease. Treatment with medium and high doses showed the most significant reduction (p<0.05) in sperm count. Conclusions. It is concluded that Centella asiatica L. exhibited antispermatogenic and antifertility effects on reproductive system of the male rats.