Effect of Centella asiatica aqueous leaf extract was assessed on spermatogenesis and sperm quality in mice. The experiment was conducted by giving three different doses of C. asiatica extract orally; 25mg/kg, 50mg/ kg and 100mg/kg body weight daily for four weeks respectively. Control group was treated with normal saline (0.9% NaCl). Marked decreases in sperm count and motility were found in sperm collected from the cauda epididymis of treated mice. The treatment, however did not affect sperm mortality and morphology. Histologically, signs of inhibition of testicular cells appeared clearly at dose 100mg/kg, when the lumen of seminiferous tubules were only full with spermatocytes and spermatids. The present results show that the plant has antispermatogenic effect in mice. It is therefore, suggested that leaf extracts of C. asiatica possess antifertility activity in male mice.
Kesan ekstrak berakua daun Centella asiatica telah dikaji ke atas proses spermatogenesis dan kualiti sperma mencit. Kajian dijalankan dengan memberikan tiga dos C. asiatica secara oral masing-masing; 25mg/kg, 50mg/ kg and 100mg/kg berat tubuh mencit setiap hari selama empat minggu. Kumpulan kawalan diberikan larutan salin normal (0.9% NaCl). Pengurangan dalam bilangan dan motiliti sperma yang ketara telah diperhatikan pada semua kumpulan mencit yang diberikan ekstrak C. asiatica. Walau bagaimanapun pemberian ekstrak C. asiatica tidak mendatangkan kesan terhadap mortaliti dan morfologi sperma. Kajian histologi pula menunjukkan terdapat kesan perencatan sel-sel spermatogenik testis pada dos C. asiatica 100mg/kg di mana lumen pada tubul seminiferus hanya dipenuhi dengan sel-sel spermatosit dan spermatid. Hasil kajian menunjukkan tumbuhan ini mempunyai kesan antispermatogenik pada mencit. Oleh itu dicadangkan bahawa ekstrak daun C. asiatica mempunyai aktiviti antikesuburan pada mencit jantan.