Studies Of Antifertility Activity Of Marsilea Minuta Linn.

The antifertility activity of methanol extract of Marsilea minuta (F. Marsileacae) was studied on female Swiss albino mice. The extract was found to produce significant elevation of the level of total cholesterol and ascorbic acid content of the ovaries of the treated mice. It also produced significant reduction in the activities of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and I” 5-3-I² hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase enzymes in mice. These observations indicate that the methanol extract produced antifertility activity in mice, which may be due to inhibition of gonadal steroido genesis.