EFFECT OF COSTUS SPECIOSUS KOEN ON REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS OF FEMALE ALBINO MICE

Abstract

Costus speciosus Koen. Retz. belongs to family Zingiberaceae. It is known as Crepe zinger in English and Jom lakhuti in Assamese. Traditionally, rhizome of this plant is used as ethno-medicine for curing different health ailments. This plant is widely used for fertility control in women by the rural people of Rangia Sub-division of Kamrup District, Assam. In ayurveda, the rhizomes are ascribed to be bitter, astringent, acrid, cooling, aphrodisiac, purgative, antihelminthic, depurative, febrifuge, expectorant and tonic. The methanolic rhizome extract was investigated for its effect on ovary and uterus of Gonado-intact female adult mice. The extract at two different doses (250 mg/kg, 500mg/kg body weight) for 10 days has showed significant decrease in ovarian weight and increase in uterine weight in comparison to normal control. The phytochemical screening revealed the presence of secondary metabolites i.e., alkaloids and flavonoids. The finding of the present study put some light showing the endocrine active effects of the Costus speciosus in animal model.