Antifertility effect of aqueous leaf extract of Aegle marmelos (Linn.) on M-isozyme, H-isozyme and M/H ratio in semen of Swiss albino mice

Objective: To evaluate the effects of Aegle marmelos leaf extract treatment on seminal LDH isozymes activity in mice. Methods: 60 adult male Swiss albino mice weighing about 25 to 30 gram were selected and divided into two groups, control group and treated group. Mice of control groups were fed 0.1 ml of distilled water and treated groups fed 0.1 ml Aegle marmelos leaf extract. After 10 to 50 days of treatment mice were sacrificed. Semen samples were collected from cauda epididymis. These samples were filtered, centrifuged and processed for electrophoresis for separation of different LDH isozymes. Results: In the Aegle marmelos leaf extract treated group of mice M-isozyme of LDH showed significant increase during 10 (P<0.01), 20 (P<0.01), 30 (P<0.001), 40 (P<0.001) and 50 (P<0.001) days of exposure than the control. H-isozyme of LDH also increased but it is insignificant than the control. Due to increase in M-isozyme, the M/H ratio also increased highly significantly as the duration of exposure ages than the control. The increased level of M-isozyme lo LDH in seminal plasma of Aegle marmelos leaf extract treated group of mice caused more accumulation of lactate and cellular respiration decreased. This may impair motility of spermatozoa and increased mortality of spermatozoa. Thus, Aegle marmelos leaf extract adversely affect fertility of male mice. Conclusions: From the study, it can be concluded that the aqueous leaf extract of Aegle marmelos has potential effect on seminal LDH isozyme activity which is an important parameter for analyzing the fertilizing ability of male mice.