Effects of Butea superba on reproductive systems of rats
Introduction
Butea superba, Roxb (Leguminosae) is a big climber plant, called “Kwao Krua Dang” in Thailand. Its underground tuberous roots have been used in Thai folklore medicines for over 100 years.
It has been used for the rejuvenation and treatment of impotence in men [1]. When the skin of the tuberous roots was peeled off, red exudate with bloody appearance can be seen [2]. The main constituent found in B. superba is butenin [3]. However, when this compound was injected subcutaneously in rat at 360 mg/kg, body weight (b.w.), it caused death from failure of the cardiovascular system. Toxicity of butenin in mice has been previously reported [3]. Presently, various herbal formulations containing crude drug of B. superba are available in the Thai market. Thai FDA has been trying to monitor for consumer protection of these herbal products as safe traditional herbal recipes. Several studies have been reported on this aspect [1], [2]. The Thai FDA has recommended a safe daily dose of 100 mg/day or 0.2 mg/100 g b.w. for a 50 kg body weight person [4]. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of B. superba drug at the dose recommended by Thai FDA and about 10, 100 and 600 times higher than this recommended dose on the reproductive systems of male Wistar rats. The information from this study can be used to explain and consider the proper application of this plant.
Section snippets
Plant
B. superba tuberous roots, collected in February 2002 from Chiang Mai Province in Thailand were authenticated by the Botanist of Faculty of Pharmacy, Chiang Mai University, Thailand. A voucher specimen (PCRNC-BS-02-2002) was deposited in the Pharmaceutical-Cosmetic Raw Materials and Natural Products Research and Development Center (PCRNC), Institute for Science and Technology Research and Development (IST), Chiang Mai University, Thailand.
Preparation of the tuberous roots suspension
The roots were washed and the skin was peeled off. The
Results
There is no difference in the body weight gain between the treated groups and the control group after 8 weeks of treatment (Fig. 1). Also, the weights of the vital organs of the treated group were not different from the control group (data not shown). The percentage weight ratios of the reproductive organs (testis, seminal vesicle and prostate glands) to body weights of only the weight ratio of the testis were increased in animals treated with the highest dose of 1250 mg/kg (Fig. 2). All
Discussion and conclusions
During the 8-week treatment, body weights and weights of all vital organs of the animals treated with B. superba drug at all doses showed no difference from the control animals fed with distilled water. The group treated with the highest dose of B. superba crude drug 1250 mg/kg showed significant (P < 0.05) higher percentage weight ratio to body weight of testis than the control and the other treated groups. B. superba which has been claimed by the Thai northern traditional folklore as treatment
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Kwao Krua
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