Effect of Ethanolic Root Extract of Cissus populnea on Testicular Antioxidant Status, Fertility and Some Sexual Performance Parameters in Rats
Abstract
The study was carried out to investigate the effect of ethanolic root extract of Cissus populnea (ERCP) on some sexual performance parameters in rats, to see if there are any merits in its ethno-medicinal use as an aphrodisiac.
One group of 6 sexually-mature male rats was given by gastric intubation, the equivalent of 270mg of extract/kg body weight/day for 21 days, while another group received vehicle, and served as control. Both groups were
maintained ad libitum on normal rat feed and drinking water. At the end of 21 days, each male rat was paired with 3 sexually-mature, oestrous female rats and assessed for mounting frequency, intromission time, ejaculation frequency and fertility (% of pregnant females/group). The male rats were subsequently sacrificed under chloroform anaesthesia, and their testes were weighed and analysed for total protein, antioxidant vitamins and some
antioxidant enzymes. Results obtained revealed that the extract treatment brought about significant increases in mounting frequency and ejaculation latency, while significantly reducing intromission latency (p<0.05). In addition,
the antioxidant vitamins ß-carotene, ascorbic acid and α-tocopherol, as well as the activities of superoxide dismutase, SOD and catalase were significantly elevated in the testes of the extract-treated rats when compared to controls (p<0.05). The ERCP-treated rats also had significantly higher testicular weight, higher testicular total protein and higher fertility than controls (p<0.05). These results strongly suggest that ERCP possesses significant testicular antioxidant-enhancing, libido-promoting and fertility-boosting properties, which may account at least in part, for its aphrodisiac use in ethno-medical practice.
One group of 6 sexually-mature male rats was given by gastric intubation, the equivalent of 270mg of extract/kg body weight/day for 21 days, while another group received vehicle, and served as control. Both groups were
maintained ad libitum on normal rat feed and drinking water. At the end of 21 days, each male rat was paired with 3 sexually-mature, oestrous female rats and assessed for mounting frequency, intromission time, ejaculation frequency and fertility (% of pregnant females/group). The male rats were subsequently sacrificed under chloroform anaesthesia, and their testes were weighed and analysed for total protein, antioxidant vitamins and some
antioxidant enzymes. Results obtained revealed that the extract treatment brought about significant increases in mounting frequency and ejaculation latency, while significantly reducing intromission latency (p<0.05). In addition,
the antioxidant vitamins ß-carotene, ascorbic acid and α-tocopherol, as well as the activities of superoxide dismutase, SOD and catalase were significantly elevated in the testes of the extract-treated rats when compared to controls (p<0.05). The ERCP-treated rats also had significantly higher testicular weight, higher testicular total protein and higher fertility than controls (p<0.05). These results strongly suggest that ERCP possesses significant testicular antioxidant-enhancing, libido-promoting and fertility-boosting properties, which may account at least in part, for its aphrodisiac use in ethno-medical practice.
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