EVALUATION OF ANTIFERTILITY AND TERATOGENIC EFFECTS OF CHROMATOGRAPHIC FRACTIONS OF PORTULACA OLERACEA IN MALE AND FEMALE ALBINO RATS

Objective: This study was designed to evaluate the antifertility and teratogenic effect of chromatographic fractions (fractions 1 to 5) of Portulaca oleracea at a dose of 3 mg/kg BW in mal e and female albino rats. Methods: For male fertility study, 50 days fractions and distilled water (control) treated male rats were cohabitated with untreated female rats. For female fertility and teratogenic study, the fractions were tested at different phases of pregnancy to evaluate its antifertility and teratogenic effects. Data were analysed using ANOVA at p 0.05) changes in the number of implantation sites relative to the control. Treatment of rats from day 6 to 15 of gestation (mid-pregnancy) with fraction 1 to fraction 5 caused no significant (p>0.05) changes in fetal size relative to the control as well as absence of gross malformations and resorption sites in all the treated and control rats. Treatment of rats from day 16 to 20 of gestation (late pregnancy) with fraction 1 to fraction 5 caused no significant (p>0.05) changes in litter size and litter weights relat ive to their respective controls as well as absence of gross malformations and resorption sites in all the treated and control rats. These findings probably indicate that the chromatographic fractions of Portulaca oleracea have antifertility effects in male albino rats but have no teratogenic and deleterious effects on the fertility of female albino rats.