Methanol and water extracts of Withania somnifera roots has no abortifacient effect in rats

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of a methanolic and water extract of Withania somnifera (L) Dunal roots on early pregnancy of rats. Female rats (n= 10/group) were orally administered with cither 500 or 3000 mg/kg/day of methanolic extract or 500 mg/kg/day of water extract of root consecutively from days 1-7 of pregnancy. On day 14 of pregnancy, animals were laparotomised under mild ether anesthesia under aseptic conditions, and the number of implantation sites, resorption sites, viable embryos and copora leutea were noted. Withania somnifera root extracts showed no abortifacient and antifertility effects when administered orally to female rats during early pregnancy. Further the extracts were well tolerated. The result obtained from this study is in contrast to its claimed effect as an abortifacient in traditional medicine in several countries.