Tripterygium wilfordii, a Chinese herb effective in male fertility regulation.

A refined extract from the root xylem of Tripterygium wilfordii Hook. f. (the so-called multi-glycosides of the plant), available in the market as tablets for the long-term treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and various skin disorders, has recently been shown to possess a powerful antifertility effect in male rats and in men after oral administration at dose levels not showing apparent toxicity or side effects. Fertility appears to be reversible after cessation of treatment. Moreover, preliminary data indicated that the effective antifertility dose in men is only 1/3 of the recommended dose for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis or skin diseases. This fact supports additional optimism that the side effects of this small dose will be much less as compared with those of the regular dose level. However, a large amount of further investigation is required before one can predict the future of the drug, which seems to hinge upon the successful isolation of the active principle(s) and the careful toxicological evaluation of the safety of the latter. The present paper is a review article summarizing the chemistry, the general pharmacology and the fertility regulatory effect of the plant.