Journal of Ethnopharmacology 89 (2003) 55–59 Onset of puberty and ovarian steroidogenesis following adminstration of methanolic extract of Cuscuta reﬂexa Roxb. stem and Corchorus olitorius Linn. seed in mice M. Gupta a,∗ , U.K. Mazumder a , D.K. Pal b , S. Bhattacharya a a Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700032, India b Seemanta Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jharpokharia, Mayurbhanj 757086, Orissa, India Received 24 January 2002; received in revised form 20 June 2003; accepted 4 July 2003 Abstract The effect of methanolic extract (ME) of Cuscuta reﬂexa stem Roxb. and Corchorus olitorius Linn. seed on the onset of reproductive maturity and the ovarian steroidogenesis was studied by means of biochemical techniques. ME of Cuscuta reﬂexa stem and Corchorus olitorius seed treatment causes a remarkable delay in sexual maturation as evidenced by the age at vaginal opening and apperance of ﬁrst estrus (corniﬁed smear). The same treatment also results in a signiﬁcant diminution of  5 -3-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD) and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) activity along with a reduction in the weight of ovary, uterus and pituitary. On the basis of above data, it is assumed that the probable cause of delayed maturation in ME of Cuscuta reﬂexa stem and Corchorus olitorius seed treated mice is due to the suppressed ovarian steroidogenesis. © 2003 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Cuscuta reﬂexa; Corchorus olitorius; Puberty; Steroidogenesis 1. Introduction Cuscuta reﬂexa Roxb. (Swarnalata in Bengali, Amarvel in Hindi) family convolvulaceae is a golden yellow dodder like parasite. The plant is common throughout India, found widely in the plains of West Bengal, growing on thorny or other shrubs as parasite annuals. Various parts of this plant were used in tribal medicine for the diseases like ﬁts, melan- choly, and insanity (Agarwal and Dutt, 1935). It is also use- ful externally against itch and internally in protracted fevers, retention of wind and induration of the liver (Kirtikar and Basu, 2001; Chopra et al., 1992). Cuscuta reﬂexa on prelim- inary analysis is found to contain 0.2% cuscutin (a colour- ing matter), 1% cuscutalin (lactone) and a large quantity of ﬂavonoids (Agarwal and Dutt, 1935; Rostogi and Mehrotra, 1993; Yadav et al., 2000). Corchorous olitorius Linn. (family Tiliaceae) is an annual herb with slender stems. It is cultivated in many parts of In- dia. The seeds are used as purgative and leaves as demuls- ∗ Corresponding author. E-mail address: shila76in@yahoo.co.in (M. Gupta). cent, diuretic, febrifuge (infusion) and in chronic cystitis and dysuria (Chatterjee and Pakrashi, 1992). On preliminary analysis, seeds have been found to contain cardenolide gly- cosides (Nakamura et al., 1998). Now it is established that the development of sexual or- gans in early life and the onset of puberty is closely related with ovarian steroidogenesis (Armstrong et al., 1964) un- der the inﬂuence of gonadotrophins (Horikoshi and Wiest, 1971). The Cuscuta reﬂexa stem and their different extracts on preliminary investigation have been found to posses antifer- tility effect (Rao et al., 1979). Corchorus olitorius (Jute) seed is a traditional tribal medicine for birth control. But the precise mode of action and their effects on reproductive maturation processes in case of mice is not yet reported. Earlier investigation exhibited the anti-steroidogenic activ- ity of crude extract of these plants in mature female mice (Gupta et al., 2003) and male mice (Pal et al., 2002). In the present communication, an experimental design was made to elucidate the possible mode of action and the inﬂuence of each extract on the onset of sexual maturity and the ovarian steroidogenic activity. 0378-8741/$ – see front matter © 2003 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/S0378-8741(03)00262-9