Validating Sex-enhancing Potentials of Aqueous Extract of Pseudopanax arboreus (ARALIACEAE) (L.F. Phillipson) on Normal Male Rats
Pages : 1426-1435Download PDF
Leaves of Pseudopanax arboreus (ARALIACEAE) (L.F. Phillipson) have been considered as aphrodisiac by the people of Manyu Division and other parts of Cameroon for a long time, without scientific investigation. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of the aqueous extract of leaves of Pseudopanax arboreus (L.F. Phillipson) on sexual behavior in normal male rats. Twenty-eight (28) adult male Wistar rats were randomly partitioned into 4 groups of 7rats each. Rats in gropu1 were administered 10ml/kg distilled water, group 2 received 6mg/kg Viagra, while those in groups 3 and 4 were given 75 and 150mg/kg body weight respectively of the aqueous extract of the leaves of P. arboreus. Sexual behavior parameters were monitored on days 1, 7, 14 and 21 by pairing each male to a receptive female. Relative weight of sex organs and hormonal profile were also determined. Both doses increased mount and intromission frequencies, ejaculation latency, penile licking, testosterone production and relative weight of sex organs; but significantly reduced mount and intromission latencies, post-ejaculatory interval and mean intromission interval. The aqueous extract of P. arboreus is a sex enhancer and could constitute a potential alternative to treatment of male sexual dysfunction.
Keywords: Pseudopanax arboreus; aphrodisiac; sexual behavior; male sexual dysfunction