Effect of Ananas comosus methanol leaf extract on immature, non-pregnant and pregnant uterus of adult female albino wistar rat

Background: The leaves of Ananas comosus is used traditionally as an abortifacient among the Indians. Objective(s): The objective of this study is to investigate the anti-conceptive and anti-implantation, estrogenic and anti-estrogenic effect of Ananas comosus methanol leaf extract on a uterus of female albino Wistar rat. Study Design: Mature female wistar rats with regular consecutive oestrus cycle were divided into 5 groups of 5 animals each. The experimental groups received 485.5 mg/kg, 970 mg/kg and 1455.5 mg/kg body weight respectively with the control group receiving 1 ml/rat/day body weight of normal saline. Mating was done before and after administration of the extract for the anti-conceptive and anti-implantation experiments respectively. The antiestrogenic and estrogenic effect was done in immature ovariectomized rats using 17β estradiol as reference while the experimental groups were given same dose as above. Result: Pregnancy was significantly prevented in a dose dependent manner as the low dose group had a reduced number of pups littered while the medium and high dose groups had no litters. The medium and high dose groups had no implantation sites. There was a very weak estrogenic but strong anti-estrogenic effect of the extract. Conclusion: The study showed that A. comosus leaf extract prevented conception in rats through its anti-implantation and anti-oestrogenic effects.