The Scope of Herbal Plants as the Source of Contraceptive Values in Males

Medicinal plants are part and parcel of human society to combat diseases, from the dawn of civilization. Information about the benefits of herbal drugs is known in our ancient literature of Ayurvedic, Siddha, Unani and Chinese medicine. According to the WHO, 2003 about 80 % of the population of developing countries being unable to afford pharmaceutical drugs relies on traditional medicines, mainly plant based, to sustain their primary health care needs. The consequences of this long neglect of developing acceptable and reliable male contraceptives in poor developing countries has been lack of or less participation of males in family planning. Recently, it has come apparent that neglecting men in matters of family planning is a losing strategy with adverse consequences for both men and women Ayurvedic literature and folk medicine have been screened and searched thoroughly for antifertility effects in males all over the world. The World Health Organization has set up a task force on plant research for fertility regulation with an objective to find new orally active non steroidal contraceptive. Therefore, this article reviewed some of the medicinal plants having antifertility or contraceptive activity. This review will highlight some of the herbs which could potentially be developed into a reversible male contraceptive as well as discuss difficulties of developing such a contraceptive.