Enzymatic Studies with Reference to Antifertility Potential of Piper betle Linn. Leaf Stalk Extract in Male Albino Rats

The betel leaf (Tambula patra brint) is extensively cultivated in warm moist parts of India for its leaves; the antifertility properties of the betel plant were studied in both male and female rats. It was suggested that the contraceptive effect of the extract of leaf stalk of piper betel Linn is mainly on the maturation process of spermatozoa in epididymis without influencing hysteric hormonal profiles. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the antifertility efficacy of piper betel Linn leaf stalk extract with reference to some marker enzymes. In this study healthy male albino rats were administered with betel leaf stalk extract, at the dose rate of 150 mg/Kg/ day through oral gavage, for 15 days. The enzymatic changes were observed over control male rats. The observed reduction in Glucose-6-Phosphate dehydrogenase activity in testis, suggests that decreased level of operation of hexose mono phosphate pathway and also mobilization of carbohydrate reserves in to Hexose mono phosphate (HMP) pathway. Increased Succinate dehydrogenase is an indicative of better energy utilization due to the production of intermediates in the tricarboxylic acid cycle. The significant decrease in testicular Glutamate dehydrogenase activities (a biochemical indicator used to assess injury to the mitochondria) may imply reduction in the amount of energy being made available to the sperm cells. The total phosphorylase activity was highly depleted suggesting the overall degradation of the enzyme, possibly for inhibiting glycogenolysis in response to betel leaf stalk extract. The depleted aldolase levels indicate decreased mobilization of glucose in to Embden-Mayeroff pathway in testis. Thus the extract administration does not affect the normal energy metabolism; it affects the sperm energy metabolism. Hence, sperm metabolic processes are disrupted. It also brings the alterations in chemical composition of seminal plasma and prostatic fluid leads to sperm anomalies.