Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra-136119, Harynana, India.
J Ethnopharmacol. 2012 Mar 6;140(1):1-32. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2011.12.039. Epub 2012 Jan 5.
Traditional medicines are practiced worldwide for regulation fertility since ancient times. This review provides a comprehensive summary of medicinal flora inhabitating throughout the world regarding their traditional usage by various tribes/ethnic groups for fertility regulation in females.
Bibliographic investigation was carried out by analyzing classical text books and peer reviewed papers, consulting worldwide accepted scientific databases from the last six decades. Plants/their parts/extracts traditionally used for abortion, contraception, emmenagogue and sterilization purposes have been considered as antifertility agents. Research status of selected potential plant species has been discussed. Further, compounds isolated from plants with attributed fertility regulating potentials are also classified into three categories: (a) phytoconstituents with anti-implantation activity, (b) phytoconstituents with abortifacient activity and (c) phytoconstituents with contraceptive activity.
577 plant species belonging to 122 families, traditionally used in fertility regulation in females, have been recorded, of which 298 plants have been mentioned as abortifacients (42%), 188 as contraceptives (31%), 149 as emmenagogues (24%), and 17 as sterilizers. Among 122 plant families, fabaceae constitutes 49.2%, asteraceae 40.98%, euphorbiaceae 19.7%, apiaceae 16.4%, poaceae 12.3%, labiateae 11.5%, and others in lesser proportion. Various plant parts used in fertility regulation include leaves (25%), roots (22%), fruits (15%), seeds (12%), stem/stem bark (37%), and flowers (4%). Some active compounds, isolated from about various plant species, have been reported to possess significant antifertility potential.
This review clearly indicates that it is time to increase the number of experimental studies to find out novel potential chemical entities from such a vast array of unexploited plants having traditional role in fertility regulation. Also, the mechanisms of action by which plant extracts and their active compounds exert antifertility effects remain to be studied.
自古以来，传统医学就在全球范围内被用于调节生育能力。本综述全面总结了世界各地的药用植物群，这些植物群被不同的部落/族群用于调节女性生育能力。
通过分析经典教科书和同行评议论文，查阅过去六十年中全球公认的科学数据库，进行了文献调查。传统上用于堕胎、避孕、通经和绝育目的的植物/其部分/提取物被视为抗生育剂。讨论了选定潜在植物物种的研究现状。此外，还将具有生育调节潜力的植物中分离出的化合物分为三类：(a)具有抗着床活性的植物成分，(b)具有堕胎活性的植物成分和(c)具有避孕活性的植物成分。
记录了 577 种属于 122 科的植物物种，这些植物物种传统上用于调节女性生育能力，其中 298 种被认为是堕胎剂（42%），188 种是避孕药（31%），149 种是通经剂（24%），17 种是绝育剂。在 122 个植物科中，豆科植物占 49.2%，菊科植物占 40.98%，大戟科植物占 19.7%，伞形科植物占 16.4%，禾本科植物占 12.3%，唇形科植物占 11.5%，其他科植物占较少比例。用于调节生育能力的植物部位包括叶（25%）、根（22%）、果实（15%）、种子（12%）、茎/茎皮（37%）和花（4%）。从各种植物物种中分离出的一些活性化合物已被报道具有显著的抗生育潜力。
本综述清楚地表明，现在是时候增加实验研究的数量，从这些在生育调节方面具有传统作用的大量未开发植物中发现新的潜在化学实体了。此外，植物提取物及其活性化合物发挥抗生育作用的作用机制仍有待研究。
