Fertility and estrogenic activity of Turraeanthus africanus in combination with Lepidium meyenii (Black maca) in female mice

Aim of the study: The effect of Black maca (Lepidium meyenii) and Turraeanthus africanus on fertility and estrogenic activity in female mice was investigated. Materials and methods: Thirty female mice were treated daily with extracts of Black maca plus T. africanus (BM+TA), T. africanus alone (TA) or vehicle (control) at dose 1. g/kg BW for 30. days. Results: The length of the estrous cycle inside the group of (BM+TA)-treated mice significantly (p<. 0.001) shorten (4.08. ±. 0.06 days) when compared to control (4.53. ±. 0.05). On the proestrous stage, the oestradiol level for animals treated with TA (27.3. ±. 0.5. pg/ml) and (BM+TA) (36.0. ±. 0.9. pg/ml) significantly increased when compared to control (24.0. ±. 0.4. pg/ml), while in the estrous stage only the estradiol level of (BM+TA) treated animal (28. ±. 2. pg/ml) significantly increased (p<. 0.01). The uterine weight of ovariectomized of TA-treated animals was higher (p<. 0.05) than those observed in controls while no change in the (BM+TA) group was observed. The weight of uterus of non pregnant mice of both treated TA and (BM+TA) extract significantly increased (p<. 0.001) in the proestrous and estrus stage when compared to control.The number of fetuses in the uterus after (BM+TA) treatment (14.66. ±. 0.25) was significantly higher (p<. 0.05) than the TA treated alone (13.60. ±. 0.45) and the control (9.5. ±. 1.10) one at day 15 of pregnancy.No significant difference between groups (p>. 0.05) was observed for the two treatments concerning the Fertility index. Conclusions: TA can affect the number of embryo implantation and the uterine weight. This effect increased in association with BM. BM could regulate estrous cycle.