APHRODISIAC EFFECT OF THE AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF A POLYHERBAL FORMULATION IN MALE WISTAR RAT

ABSTRACT

Erectile dysfunction is prevalent in Nigeria, and much work is being done to mitigate or end it. Traditional medicine has proven to be an effective way of combating disease and promoting a healthy sexual lifestyle. The study was performed to establish the sub-acute aphrodisiac capability of a polyherbal formulation containing the fruit of Musa paradisiac, the rhizomes of Zingiber officinale, the seeds of Garcinia kola and the leaves of Cymbopogon citratus using male Wistar rats of 117-250 g body weight. The study also ascertained the effect of the polyherbal formulation on the testis weight of the male rats. Fifteen (15) male rats were randomly divided into five groups of three and given the recommended treatment orally using a 1ml syringe. Group one was negative control (0.5 ml/kg of distilled water), Group two was positive control (100 mg/kg of Sildenafil citrate), while Groups 3, 4 and 5 were given the extract at 50 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg respectively. The sexual parameters studied and recorded were Genital sniffing, genital grooming, mount frequency, intromission frequency and ejaculation frequency. The results showed that there was a consequential rise in the sexual behaviours of the rats treated with the extracts when compared to both negative and positive controls. The polyherbal extract had the most significant effect on genital sniffing at 100 mg/kg (, genital grooming at 50 mg/kg (19), mount frequency at 50 mg/kg (16), intromission frequency at 50 mg/kg (13) and ejaculation frequency at 50 mg/kg (13). The extract had no significant effect on the testis weight of the rats compared to the controls. This study has shown that this polyherbal formulation has a sub-acute aphrodisiac potential at the best dose of 50 mg/kg. Further work to ascertain the bioactive compounds is recommended.