Hexane extract of the seeds of Nigella sativa L. prevented pregnancy in Sprague-Dawley rats treated orally at 2 g/kg daily dose on days 1-10 post-coitum. Significant antifertility activity was also observed in its column fractions and subfractions. At contraceptive dose, the active hexane extract exhibited only mild uterotrophic activity comparable almost to 0.002 mg/kg dose of 17 varies; is di...

Trans-anethole was studied for antifertility activity in rats at dose levels of 50 mg, 70 mg and 80 mg/kg po. Dose-dependent activity was observed, a 100% anti-implantation activity being achieved at 80 mg/kg, po. The compound showed a significant estrogenic activity and did not possess anti-estrogenic, progestational, anti-progestational, androgenic or anti-androgenic activities. In an earlier...

Dihydrofuranocoumarin, chalepin (1) and furanocoumarin, chalepensin (2) are 3-prenylated bioactive coumarins, first isolated from the well-known medicinal plant Ruta chalepensis L. (Fam: Rutaceae) but also distributed in various species of genera Boenminghausenia, Clausena Ruta. The distribution these compounds appears to be restricted plants family Rutaceae. To date, there have been a consider...

Background: Gossypol is a polyphenol isolated from the cotton plant (Gossypium sp.). The substance, shows promise for use as a male contraceptive, is a derivative of cottonseed oil. Various species of animals have been tested and some are more sensitive than others, and in men it causes spermatogenesis arrest at relatively low doses. Materials and Methods: This routine data base study re-examin...

The use of nitrogen mustards as chemotherapeutic agents in the treatment of certain neoplastic diseases has been well established by a large number of workers (Montgomery, 1959; Creech, Breuninger, Hankwitz, Polsky & Wilson, 1960; Ross, 1962). A large number of different compounds have been screened in various test systems in vitro and in vivo for anticancerous, antibacterial, antimicrobial and...