Informatics Publishing Limited

B. Kadalmani ¹, C. Raghavan ¹, T. Thirunalasundari ¹, G. Subramanian ², M. A. Akbarsha ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Animal Sciences, Bharathidasan University, Thiruchirappallli 620 024, IN
2 National Facility for Marine Cyanobacteria, Bharathidasan University, Thiruchirappalli 620 024, IN

Abstract

Cyanobacteria are prokaryotic aquatic organisms. Their potential to produce varied and extensive secondary metabolites, both intracellularly and more importantly extracellularly, has come to light, and attempts are afoot to find the application of these compounds as nutritional supplements, food additives, natural'colorants, pharmaceuticals, etc. The marine cyanobacteria are an example for diversity biomass and productivity. To find the potential for application of the marine cyanobacteria in human and animal welfare, the Department of Biotechnology, Govt, of India, has established the National Facility for Marine Cyanobacteria (NFMC), the only one of its kind in whole country, at Bharathidasan University. ICMR, Government of India, has funded a research project to find the application of marine cyanobacteria in male contraception and the results are promising.

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K. Faisal ¹, S. Parveen ², R. Rajendran ³, R. Girija ¹, V. S. Periasamy ¹, B. Kadalmani ¹, A. Puratchikody ⁴, K. Ruckmani ⁴, B. M. J. Pereira ², M. A. Akbarsha ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Animal Science, School of Life Sciences, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli 620 024, IN
2 Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Reproductive Biology Laboratory, Indian Institute of Technology Roorke 247 667, IN
3 Green Chem, Attibele Industrial Area, Bangalore - 562 107, IN
4 Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering & Technology Bharathidasan Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli - 620 024, IN

Abstract

Quassia amara is a medicinal plant with several pharmacological properties. More recently, it has come to be known in the context of its potential biopesticidal application and the antimalarial property in two of its secondary metabolites, quassin and neo-quassin. There are also preliminary reports implicating this plant in male reproductive toxic effects, to the extent that the plant could as well be tested for male contraceptive efficacy. Therfore, we subjected the methanolic extract of the bark of this tree for male reproductive toxicological evaluation. This paper reports several derangements in the Cauda epididymidal sperm including a hither - to unreported one.

Keywords

Neo-Quassin, Quassia amara, Quassin, Sperm Abnormalities.

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