Aphrodisiac effects of methanolic leaf extract of Pseudopanax arboreus (Araliaceae) (L.F. Phillipson) in normal male rats

Background: The leaves of Pseudopanax arboreus have been used traditionally for decades as aphrodisiac without scientific investigation. In this study, the effects of methanolic leaf extract of P. arboreus were evaluated on sexual behavior of normal male rats.Materials and Methods: Twenty-eight adult male rats were randomly grouped into 4 groups of 7 rats each. Rats in group 1 were treated with 10 ml/kg body weight distilled water, group 2 rats received 6mg/kg body weight Viagra™, while the rats in groups 3 and 4 were given 46.5 mg and 93mg/kg body weight respectively of the methanolic extract of the leaves of P. arboreus. Female rats were made receptive by ovariectomy and subsequent hormonal treatment. Sexual behavior parameters were monitored on days 1, 7, 14 and 21 by pairing each male rat to a receptive female. Relative weight of sex organs and hormonal (FSH, LH and testosterone) profile were also determined.Results: Doses of 46.5 mg/kg and 93 mg/kg, the extract significantly increased the mount and intromission frequencies, penile licking and relative weight of sex organs and enhanced testosterone production; and significantly reduced mount and intromission latencies, mean intromission interval, when compared to the distilled water group. The 93 mg/kg body weight dose prolonged ejaculation latency and reduced post-ejaculatory interval. However, the reference drug, Viagra™ proved more efficient than the extract.Conclusion: The methanolic extract of the leaves of P. arboreus possesses aphrodisiac properties which may be due to the actions of bioactive compounds present in the extract.Keywords: Pseudopanax arboreus; sexual behavior; methanolic extract; aphrodisia

Evaluation of In Vitro Uterotonic Activities of Fruit Extracts of Ficus asperifolia in Rats

The aim of the present study was to determine the uterotonic activities of Ficus asperifolia and investigate its mechanism. The effects of aqueous and methanol extracts of the dried fruits of F. asperifolia (0.05–1.60 mg mL−1) were evaluated on estrogenized isolated rat uterus in the presence and absence of atropine (1.73–55.27 nM), pyrilamine maleate (1.25 × 10−3 to 40 × 10−3 M), indomethacin (0.06 × 10−5 to 2.00 × 10−5 M) or hexamethonium (0.66 × 10−4 to 21.43 × 10−4 M). Aqueous (EC50, 0.36 mg mL−1) and methanol (EC50, 0.22 mg mL−1) extracts as well as oxytocin (EC50, 0.02 nM), acetylcholine (EC50, 7.87 nM) and histamine (EC50, 0.76 nM) evoked concentration-dependent contractions of the uterus. Atropine, pyrilamine maleate and indomethacin concentration dependently blocked the response of the uterus to acetylcholine (IC50, 4.82 nM), histamine (IC50, 2.49 nM) and oxytocin (IC50, 0.07 nM), respectively, and to aqueous extract. Hexamethonium produced graded decreases in oxytocin-induced uterine contractions (IC50, 0.37 μM), but did not prevent the contractile effects of the aqueous extract (IC50, 9.88 μM). These results suggest that F. asperifolia-induced uterotonic effect is related to the release of prostaglandins and contraction of the myometrial cells through muscarinic, oxytocic and H1 histamine receptors. These data further give added value to the ethnic use of F. asperifolia for its abortificient and contraceptive properties

ANTIULCEROGENIC AND ANTIULCER ACTIVITIES OF DISSOTIS THOLLONII (MELASTOMATACEAE) LEAVES IN RATS

Objective: Dissotis thollonii is used in Cameroonian ethnomedicine to cure diseases such as inflammations, pregnancy control, diarrhea and gastric ulcer. The aqueous and methanol leaf extracts were evaluated for their anti ulcerogenic and antiulcer activities.Methods: The extracts were administered at the doses of 125, 250 and 500 mg/kg to evaluate their effects on gastric ulcer induced by the HCl/ethanol mixture, indomethacin and acetic acid in rats. Ranitidine, Maalox and Misoprostol were used as standard drugs. Histopathological examination and nitric oxide level was performed to evaluate the basic action mechanism of Dissotis thollonii.Results: Oral administration of the plant dose-dependently prevented HCl/ethanol-induced gastric ulcers (72.15 to 100 % for aqueous extract and 68.78 to 89.60 % for methanol extract), Indomethacin (51.13 to 100 % for aqueous extract and-32.33 to 58.45 % for methanol extract). The extracts also promoted the healing and cicatrization process in chronic gastric ulcer induced by acetic acid and increased the NO level in plasma. Histological studies of the gastric wall revealed that ulcer control group exhibited severe damage of the gastric mucosa, compared to rats pre-treated with extracts, which comparatively showed gastric mucosal protection.Conclusion: Dissotis thollonii possess protective and healing activities in rats. The anti ulcerogenic activity may be attributed to the stimulation of the prostaglandins synthesis and antiulcer property to increase NO level in plasma. Histological investigation of gastric lesion shows that the plant stimulates the cicatrizing process. These results supported the ethnomedicinal uses of Dissotis thollonii in the treatment of gastric ulcers.Â

APHRODISIAC EFFECTS OF METHANOLIC LEAF EXTRACT OF PSEUDOPANAX ARBOREUS (ARALIACEAE) (L.F. PHILLIPSON) IN NORMAL MALE RATS

Background:  The leaves of Pseudopanax arboreus have been used traditionally for decades as aphrodisiac without scientific investigation. In this study, the effects of methanolic leaf extract of P. arboreus were evaluated on sexual behavior of normal male rats. Materials and Methods: Twenty-eight adult male rats were randomly grouped into 4 groups of 7 rats each. Rats in group 1 were treated with 10 ml/kg body weight distilled water, group 2 rats received 6mg/kg body weight Viagra™, while the rats in groups 3 and 4 were given 46.5 mg and 93mg/kg body weight respectively of the methanolic extract of the leaves of P. arboreus. Female rats were made receptive by ovariectomy and subsequent hormonal treatment. Sexual behavior parameters were monitored on days 1, 7, 14 and 21 by pairing each male rat to a receptive female. Relative weight of sex organs and hormonal (FSH, LH and testosterone) profile were also determined. Results: Doses of 46.5 mg/kg and 93 mg/kg, the extract significantly increased the mount and intromission frequencies, penile licking and relative weight of sex organs and enhanced testosterone production; and significantly reduced mount and intromission latencies, mean intromission interval, when compared to the distilled water group. The 93 mg/kg body weight dose prolonged ejaculation latency and reduced post-ejaculatory interval. However, the reference drug, Viagra™ proved more efficient than the extract. Conclusion: The methanolic extract of the leaves of P. arboreus possesses aphrodisiac properties which may be due to the actions of bioactive compounds present in the extract

Delay of ejaculation induced by Bersama engleriana in nicotinamide/streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetic rats

AbstractObjectiveTo evaluate the effects of aqueous and methanolic extracts of Bersama engleriana (B. engleriana) leaves on the expulsion phase of fictive ejaculation in nicotinamide/streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetic male rats.MethodsThe electromyographic activity of the bulbospongiosus muscles was recorded in urethane anaesthetized, spinal cord transected rats receiving dopamine (0.1 μmol/L/kg) intravenously, in the absence or presence of aqueous and methanolic extracts of B. engleriana (2.5, 10, 50, 60, 75 mg/kg). In another experiment, the pro-ejaculatory effect of dopamine (0.1 μmol/L/kg, i.v.) was monitored in rats orally pre-treated with the aqueous and methanolic extracts (60 mg/kg) of B. engleriana for 1 or 4 weeks.ResultsResults of the study showed that the intravenous administration of B. engleriana did not provoke any contraction of the ejaculatory muscles whilst rhythmic and rapid contractions of the bulbospongiosus muscles accompanied sometimes by penis movement and expulsion of the urethral contents were recorded after dopamine application. The sequential treatment of animals with B. engleriana extracts (2.5-75.0 mg/kg) followed by dopamine (0.1 μmol/L/kg) resulted in a dose-dependent abolishment of the pro-ejaculatory response due to dopamine. However, in animals orally submitted to a daily gavage with B. engleriana extracts (60 mg/kg) for 1 or 4 weeks, the ejaculation stimulating effect of dopamine (0.1 μmol/L/kg) was significantly delayed (P<0.01) but not completely suppressed.ConclusionsPresent findings suggest the involvement of dopaminergic system in the activity of B. engleriana and further support its aphrodisiac potentials due to sterols and saponins revealed in this plant

Aphrodisiac property of aqueous and methanolic extracts of Raphia vinifera (Arecaceae) in sexually experienced male rats

Background: Raphia vinifera (Arecaceae) is a medicinal plant commonly used as a sexual enhancer. Objective: To investigate the aphrodisiac potential of aqueous extract (AE) and methanolic extract (ME) of R. vinifera in sexually experienced male rats. Materials and Methods: Thirty male Wistar rats were randomly distributed into six groups (5 rats per group) and administered for 14 days with distilled water (10 ml/kg), sildenafil citrate (1.44 mg/kg), and AE or ME of R. vinifera (100 or 500 mg/kg). The copulatory activity was tested on days 0, 7, and 14 using receptive females. Further, on day 14, rats were sacrificed and biochemical analyses (testosterone, total protein, and acid phosphatase) were performed. Results: Sildenafil citrate significantly decreased the intromission latency (day 14, p = 0.04) and frequency (days 7 and 14, p = 0.03) but increased the mount frequency (day 14, p = 0.04), compared with control. Remarkably, R. vinifera enhanced the sexual activity by significantly decreasing the intromission latency (AE and ME, 500 mg/kg, day 14, p = 0.04) and increasing the mount frequency (AE and ME, 100 mg/kg, day 7, p = 0.02) compared with control. Moreover, R. vinifera improved plasmatic (AE, 100 mg/kg, p = 0.03; AE, 500 mg/kg, p = 0.001; ME, 100 mg/kg, p = 0.01) and testicular (AE, 100 mg/kg, p = 0.001; AE, 500 mg/kg, p = 0.01; ME, 100 mg/kg, p = 0.001; ME, 500 mg/kg, p = 0.01) testosterone levels as well as plasmatic total proteins concentration (ME, 500 mg/kg, p = 0.04). Conclusion: These findings showed that R. vinifera possesses an aphrodisiac property which could further justify its folkloric use in traditional medicine as a sexual enhancer

HYPOGLYCAEMIC ACTIVITY OF THE LEAVES EXTRACTS OF BERSAMA ENGLERIANA IN RATS.

The hypoglycaemic properties of the aqueous and methanol extracts of the leaves of Bersama engleriana were evaluated in normoglycaemic rats in order to scientifically validate its traditional therapeutic use. With a dose of 300 mg/kg b.w. only the aqueous extract appeared to be significantly effective while at high dose, 600 mg/kg b.w., the aqueous and methanol extracts of Bersama engleriana reduced the blood glucose level by 37.7% and 49.11% after 8h of treatment of rats respectively. These results confirm the hypoglycaemic properties of some extracts of the leaves of Bersama engleriana with the aqueous extract appearing more active

Endothelium/Nitric Oxide Mediates the Vasorelaxant and Antihypertensive Effects of the Aqueous Extract from the Stem Bark of Mammea africana

This study evaluates the vasorelaxant and antihypertensive effects of the aqueous extract from the stem bark of M. africana (AEMA). AEMA was tested in vitro on intact or endothelium-denuded rats’ aorta rings precontracted with KCl or norepinephrine in absence or in presence of L-NAME or glibenclamide. The effect of a single concentration (300 μg/mL) of AEMA was also examined on the concentration-response curve of KCl. In vivo, the antihypertensive effects of AEMA (200 mg/kg/day) were evaluated in male Wistar rats treated with L-NAME (40 mg/kg/day) for 4 weeks. AEMA relaxed aorta rings precontracted with NE or KCl with respective EC50 values of 0.36 μg/mL and 197.60 μg/mL. The destruction of endothelium or pretreatment of aorta rings with L-NAME shifted the EC50 of AEMA from 0.36 μg/mL to 40.65 μg/mL and 20.20 μg/mL, respectively. The vasorelaxant activity of M. africana was significantly inhibited in presence of glibenclamide. AEMA also significantly inhibited the concentration-response curve of KCl. Administered orally, AEMA induced acute and chronic antihypertensive effects and normalized renal NO level. These results show that the vasorelaxant activity of AEMA might be mediated by the activation of the NO-cGMP-ATP-dependent potassium channels pathway and might predominantly account for its antihypertensive effect

Soft Matter Acoustics: Non-Destructive Health Monitoring Of Polymer Blend Films

Soft matter acoustics is concerned with the application of acoustical techniques in the study of soft matter. In this paper, we demonstrate the use of phase sensitive acoustic microscopy (PSAM) in synchronous mapping of three-dimensional heterogeneity of sample soft matter systems: thin film blends of polystyrene (PS) and poly (methylmethacrylate) (PMMA). The use of acoustic phase contrast imaging for cure or health monitoring of polymer systems is discussed

Effects of solvent vapor pressure and spin-coating speed on morphology of thin polymer blend films

Thin films of polystyrene (PS)/polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) blends were made by casting from solutions with solvents of varying vapor pressure. Solvents used were chloroform, toluene and dichloromethane. Spin coating was carried out at varying speeds yielding films of different thickness. Atomic force microscopy and phase-sensitive acoustic microscopy were used to investigate the effects of spin speed and solvent vapor pressure on morphology. The domains formed due to lateral phase separation proved to be strongly influenced by vapor pressure with completely different surface structures for the three solvents. The films cast from high vapor pressure solutions displayed an increased surface roughness. Surface morphology is explained by the relative solubility in the different solvents, surface affinity, spin speed and viscosity