ALOES COMPOUND as an Ovarian Activator in Anoestrus Buffaloes
By
D. DESHPANDE, B.Sc. (Vet.) Project Office, Dairy Extension Officer Intensive Cattle Development Programme AHMEDABAD-380 006 (Gujarat)
Paper presented at: the First Asian Congress of Induced Abortion and Voluntary Sterilisation
Bombay: 4- 9 March 1979
INTRODUCTION
With the development of milk marketing organizations, both in the private and public sectors, the milk business has become more remunerative. Naturally, the owners of milch cattle have become conscious about the health and regular calving of their animals. Regular calving and Post-partum Oestrus is very important. Any delay in their Oestrus and impregnation means an economic loss to the owners. Animals of all ages and heifers may be affected by Anoestrus and it is a major problem faced by the owner.
INCIDENCE OF ANOESTRUS
According to Luktuke and Sharma (1972) 36% of the buffalo heifers and 33% of buffaloes are true cases of Anoestrus.
SELECTION OF THE DRUG
A great deal of confusion exists regarding the treatment of Anoestrus. Generally hormonal therapy is given and the present trend is to avoid hormonal therapy because of the adverse effects and uncertain results. Indigenous drugs are being introduced in the market for sterility and improving fertility in women and these being non—hormonal and comparatively cheaper are in considerable use. One such remedy is Aloes Compound (Alarsin) and many papers were presented on this drug at the 16th All India Obst. & Gynec. Congress, New Delhi, 1972. (Sharma et al, C. L. Jhaveri et al, Kusum Gupta, Mukherjee & Mukherjee). In veterinary practice, Dange reported on the use of Aloes Compound in cases of bovine infertility at the First Asian Congress of Fertility and Sterility held at Bombay in Feb. 1977. So it was decided to give a clinical trial to Aloes Compound as an ovarian activator for inducing Oestrus and ovulation in confirmed cases of Anoestrus of not less than six months duration.
ALOES COMPOUND
Aloes Compound is presented in tablet form. This drug is indicated in women with irregular, and scanty menstruation, anovulatory cycles, amenorrhoea, Primary or Secondary Sterility, subfertility, etc. It contains reputed Ayurvedic drugs in use since centuries.
MATERIALS & METHODS
During Oct. 1976, 111 buffaloes with history of infertility were examined at the I. C. D. P. Centres, Ahmedabad. Among them 50 buffaloes which were in good health but had not cycled and shown Oestrus for a minimum period of sixes months and having smooth inactive ovaries were selected for study. Out of these 50 buffaloes, 40 were treated with Aloes Compound and 10 buffaloes were kept as Control.
40 buffaloes of the trial group received Aloes Compound 15 tabs. once a day, for a maximum period of 10 days. In the event of the animal coming in heat within 10 days, Aloes Compound was discontinued. All the animals which did not come in heat within 10 days of treatment, were observed for a maximum period of 20 days after that.
10 buffaloes of the Control Group were not given any treatment. They were observed simultaneously for 30 days beginning from the 1st day when the trial group received Aloes Compound to see if they came in heat of their own accord. Any buffalo that came in heat, either from the Trial Group or Control Group, was covered immediately either by bull or by artificial insemination and was examined in the third month, per rectum, to confirm whether it is pregnant or not.
OBSERVATIONS & FINDINGS: OESTRUS, PREGNANCY
Oestrus of the 40 buffaloes of the Aloes Compound Group, 25 animals (62.5%) cycled (Oestrus) and 15 animals (37.5%) did not cycle (Anoestrus). 64% came in heat within 7 days after completion of 10 days’ treatment, and 36.0% came in heat between 8th and 20th day. The tone of the uterus was pronounced in all the animals that came in heat and discharge could be seen, Vulver lips were swollen and Vaginal mucous membrane was congested.
Of the 10 buffaloes of the Control Group, only 2 animals manifested Oestrus of their own accord during 30 days of observation. However, the tone of the uterus in these 2 animals was not pronounced.
The details of the day of Oestrus of the Control Group are given in Table No. 1.
TABLE NO. 1
Showing the day Oestrus was manifested in the Aloes Compound Group of buffaloes.
| 3rd Day 4th Day5th Day 6th Day 7th Day |
4
4 5 1 2 |
Total 16 = 64.0% |
| 11th Day
12th Day 13th Day 14th Day 20th Day |
2
1 4 1 1 |
Total 9 = 36.0% |
| Total | 25 | 100.0% |
| Day on which Oestrus was manifested | No of Buffaloes | % |
25 buffaloes out of 40 of the Aloes Compound Group came in heat within a maximum of 30 days (including 10 days of treatment) while only 2 buffaloes out of 10 of the Control Group came in heat. The details are given in Table No. 2.
| Group | Total | Cycled
(Oestrus) |
Not Cycled
(Anoestrus) |
| Aloes Compound | |||
| Group | 40 | 25 | 15 |
| Control Group | 10 | 2 | 8 |
| Total | 50 | 27 | 23 |
OESTRUS : STATISTICAL ANALYSIS The total number of animals cycled (Oestrus) either due to response of Aloes Compound or of their own accord in the Control Group, was 27 and similarly the total number of animals that did not cycle (Anoestrous) was 23. On assumption (hypothesis) that Aloes Compound has no effect on the Oestrus cycle, a statistical analysis of the above table (Table No.2) is made by applying the chi—square test using 5% significance value with 1 degree of freedom.
Chi-square table value for one degree of freedom at 5% level of significance is 3.841. Since the calculated value of this trial is 5.8 and is higher than the table value, the results are significant of P <0.05 and the hypothesis has to be rejected. Therefore, it is statistically concluded that Aloes Compound is effective in activating the inactive overies and make the buffaloes manifest Oestrus in confirmed cases of Anoestrus animals.
PREGNANCY
All the 27 buffaloes that came in heat, both from the Aloes Compound Group (25) and the Control Group (2) were immediately covered by bull or by artificial insemination and were examined per rectum, in the third month to verify whether they were pregnant or not. 15 of the 25 buffaloes of the Aloes Compound Group were found to be pregnant (60%). Among the 2 buffaloes of the Control Group that were impregnated, no animal was found to be pregnant. The details of pregnancy in the impregnated buffaloes are given in Table No. 3.
| Groups | No Covered | No. Pregnant | % | No. not Pregnant | % |
| Aloes Compound Group | 25 | 15 | 60% | 10 | 40% |
| Control Group | 2 | 0 | – | 2 | 100% |
| Total | 27 | 15 | – | 12 |
DISCUSSION
The present trend is to avoid hormonal treatment in the Anoestrus condition due to its side effects and uncertain results. Any drug that will not disturb the hormonal balance of the animal and is beneficial in the treatment of Anoestrus is welcome. Indigenous drugs with such potentiality are coming into the market. Aloes Compound is one such drug and has been tried in humans and many papers have appeared on it, from Hospital, Consultant and General Practice, Sharma (1972) has also done a pharmacological study on Aloes Compound. The present trial has shown that Aloes Compound acts as an ovarian activator in confirmed cases of Anoestrus animals and may prove very useful in overcoming flu_ problem of Anoestrus in animals. A further study on Aloes Compound at an academic institution may reveal the mechanism of its action.
REFERENCES :
VETERINARY
1. Dange, B. N. (1977): Clinical Trials with Aloes Compound and Myron in cases of Bovine Infertility, First Asian Congress of Fertility & Sterility, Bombay, 19 — 23 Feb. 1977. HUMAN :
2. Mrs. Balsara, Roshan R. (1966) • Sterility associated with irregular and scanty menstruation (use of Aloes Compound as an adjuvant) — The Ind. Pract. 19 : 1-123-5, Jan. 1966.
3. Miss Bhatia, Geeta (1971) : Primary Dysmenorrhoea in the unmarried treated with Aloes Compound — Cur. Med. Pract. 15 : 4, 715 — 717. April, 1971.
4. Deshpande, P. J. (1962) : Use of Aloes in irregular and scanty menstruation — The Antiseptic, 59: 12, Dec. 1962.
5. Mrs. Gupta, Kusum : (1972) ; Aloes Compound (a Herbal Drug) in Functional Sterility—XVI All India Obst. & Gynec. Congress, New Delhi, 10 — 12, March, 1972.
6. Jhaveri, C. L. Mrs. Ila S. Mody, Mrs. Munim J. K., Miss Das P. C. (1972) : Clinical evaluation in Infertility associated with irregular menstrual cycles treated with an indigenous preparation — XVI All India Obst. & Gynec. Congress, New Delhi, 10 — 12, March, 1972.
7. Mehta, Arab M. (1966) : Use of Aloes in Lactational Amenorrhoea 13th All India Obst. & Gynec. Congress, Patna, January 1966.
8. Mukherjee Krishna, Pande, M. & Mukherjee Meena (1972) : A Trial of Aloes Compound (an indigenous drug) in cases of Sterility associated with menstrual irregularity) — XVI All India Obst. & Gynec. Congress, New Delhi, 10 — 12, March 1972.
- Rajsekharan N., Vijaya R., Celia Dorothy White & Uma Rani S. (1975) : Trial with the indigenous drug Aloes Compound in Infertility — The Antiseptic, Vol. 72, No. 9, Sept. 1975.
Ramani Sivaraman, Sujaya Kumari & Dhathri (1976) : Aloes Compound in Sterility — The Antiseptic, Vol. 73, No. 7, July 1975. Pharma – Cological : ail
11. Sharma, S. C. (1972) : The effect of Aloes Indica on the Fertility of Female Rabbits — XVI All India Obst. & Gynec. Congress, New Delhi 10 —12 March 1972.