The exotic red petals of Hibiscus rosasinensis, commonly known as shoeflower or Jaba, could provide the first herbal contraceptive to be developed in India.
A 2000 year old text Yogaratnakar mentions the plant with supporting evidence of its ethnobotanical use as a contraceptive. Report of laboratory experiments have been found. Yoggaratnakar states that, “The lady who takes the paste of the Jabakusum in rice water mixed with molasses for three days, does not beome pregnant.”
Ethnobotanical evidence come from recorded observations, testifying that the petals of this plant are used as contraceptive in at least seven countries – India, Indonesia, Papua new guinea, Fiji Samoa, Vietnam and Sri Lanka, Ethnopharmacological evidence regarding the use of this plant has also emerged.
Since 1960, a series of papers on the anti fertility effect of Hibiscus rosasinensis in animals have been published from laboratories at Varanasi, Thiruvananthapuram, Jaipur, Chandigarh and other centres. Research on the plant was carried out between 1977 and 1981 as part of a Task Force Activity of the Indian Council of Medical Research. Uncontrolled clinical trials at Varanasi by Professor Tiwari and her Colleagues have demonstrated that the plant induced an antifertility effect. Jaba need to be investigated thoroughly and speedily. What is needed is concerted efforts rather than scientists pursuing the research individually.
Also, to develop Hibiscus rosasinensis into a drug, a multi-disciplinary effort is needed along with pooling of scientific resources, adequate financial and moral support. The late professor, K.N. Udupa of the Varanasi Institute of Medical Sciences, should be given credit for insisting on carrying out research on the plant. He believed that the red petals picked between October and December were the most effective.
Indian scientists have also demonstrated that the seeds of the plant Butea monosperma also exerts an antiovulatory effect in experimental animals.
0 comments:
Post a Comment