Antifertility Effects of Ricinine-Enriched Extract of Ricinus communis in Female Wistar Rats

Abstract

Traditional medicinal plants are widely used for fertility control because of the belief that they have fewer health risks than conventional hormonal contraceptives. Ricinus communis is one such plant whose seeds have been used for contraception. The alkaloid Ricinine, isolated from R. communis, has shown general antifertility properties, but detailed, dose-dependent effects on implantation and pregnancy maintenance have not been assessed. This study evaluated the antifertility effects of a Ricinine-enriched extract of R. communis in female Wistar rats using reproductive outcome, anti-implantation, and abortifacient models. Female rats (n = 20) were treated orally with RCN at 100, 200, or 400 mg/kg and cohabited with males to assess the fertility outcome. In separate experiments, additional pregnant rats (n = 25 per group) received RCN (100–400 mg/kg) from gestational days 1–7 (anti-implantation) and days 8–15 (abortifacient), with a positive control using 8 mg/kg Mifepristone. The number of implantation sites, live foetuses, and resorption sites was recorded. RCN treatment resulted in the complete absence of pregnancy at all doses in the fertility test. In the anti-implantation model, RCN produced a significant, dose-related reduction in implantation sites (p < 0.05). In the abortifacient model, treated animals showed a decrease in live foetuses and a significant increase in resorption sites, comparable to mifepristone. These data indicate that RCN exerts both anti-implantation and abortifacient effects in a dose-dependent manner. In conclusion, Ricinine-enriched of R. communis extract demonstrates potent antifertility activity in female rats, supporting its traditional use for contraceptive purposes.