Reversible antispermatogenic and antisteroidogenic activities of Feronia limonia fruit pulp in adult male rats

Objective:To explore the antispermatogenic and testicular antisleroidogenic activities of Feronia limonia fruit pulp southern India.Methods:Fourty Wistar male albino rats（Ratios norvegicus）were equally divided into four groups.Experimental groups were administered with the ethanolic extract of Feronia lirnonia（F.limoni）fruit pulp at doses of 250 and 500 nig/kg body weight once daily for 55 days.All treated rats had corresponding recovery groups.At the end of each treatment periods,various spermatological indices,tissue biochemicals and testicular enzymes levels were analysed.Blood profiles were also estimated.Results:Compared with the control,the F.lirnonia.fruit pulp at both dose leveb did not decrease body weight,which were associated with decline in epididymal sperm count,motility,viability and increased percent of abnormal sperm.Further,F.limonia.fruit pulp at 500 mg/kg body weight markedly reduced the epididymal and testicular protein content by 24.58%and 29.86%,respectively,as well as the glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and△;-3β-hydroxy steroid dehydrogenase)levels by 42.82%and 38.08%,respectively,while a significant elevation was observed in testicular cholesterol and ascorbic acid content.A gradual recovery of all parameters was observed after 55 days of treatment withdrawal.No significant alterations in haematological indices were observed.Conclusions:The present findings indicate that F.lirnonia fruit pulp may have reversible antispermatogenic and antisteroidogenic properties,and could partially support the traditional use as mate contraceptive.