Evaluation of estrogenic activity of alcoholic extracts of fruits of Solanum xanthocarpum using percentage vaginal cornification and vaginal opening as parameters of assessment

The objective was to conduct a comparative study of estrogenic activity of alcoholic extract of Solanum xanthocarpum with diethylstilbestrol in bilaterally ovariectomized young albino rats using percentage vaginal cornification and vaginal opening as parameters of assessment. Bilaterally overiectomized albino rats were divided into five groups (n=7) receiving differrent treatments, consisting of vehicle (distilled water), ethanolic extract of fruits of Solanum xanthocarpum at three different doses (viz., 100, 200, 400 mg/kg body weight) and standard drug diethylstilbestrol (DES) at a dose of 2 mg/kg body weight. All drugs were administered orally daily for 7 days. Estrogenic activity was assessed by taking percentage vaginal cornification and vaginal opening as parameters of assessment. The results proved the estrogenic activity of extracts for dose 200 & 400 mg/kg body weight by exhibiting the significant (p<0.05 & p<0.01) result for various parameters like percentage vaginal cornification and vaginal opening. But the dose 100 mg/kg of Solanum xanthocarpum was proved statistically insignificant in above mentioned parameters. Solanum xanthocarpum showed moderate estrogenic activity in a dose dependent manner compared to diethylstilbestrol.