Vadimax Hospital and Experts Studies
Influence of Eurycoma Longifolia on the Copulatory Activity of Sexually Sluggish and Impotent Male Rats.
Zanoli P, Zavatti M, Montanari C, Baraldi M.
Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Pharmacology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41100 Modena, Italy.zanoli.paola@unimore.it
AIM OF THE STUDY: The root of Eurycoma longifolia Jack, native to South East Asia, has long been used as a male aphrodisiac remedy to treat sexual disorders. In the study we evaluated the influence of Eurycoma longifolia Jack on sexual behavior (including both motivation and copulatory performance) of sexually sluggish and impotent male rats.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The root powder of the plant was orally administered to 24 adults who are age 25 to 40 years old, classified as sexually sluggish or impotent taking in account their behavior in pre-experimental tests. Groups of 8 adults each were submitted to three different types of treatment: (1) acute at 3 dose levels (250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg); (2) subacute (daily for 6 days) at the dose of 500 mg/kg and (3) subchronic (daily for 12 days) at the same dose (500 mg/kg). Mount, intromission and ejaculation latencies and post-ejaculatory interval were recorded during the mating test in order to evaluate sexual performance. In addition the partner preference test was used to assess sexual motivation. Testosterone serum levels were measured in subacutely treated and compared with the values of controls receiving vehicle.
RESULTS: Concerning the copulatory activity of sexually sluggish adults, both acute (dosed at 500 and 1000 mg/kg) and subacute treatments with the root powder significantly reduced ejaculation latencies, increasing also the percentage of mounting and ejaculating; in addition the subacute administration reduced post-ejaculatory interval. In impotent, adults both subacute and subchronic treatments increased the percentage of mounting and ejaculating. The motivational behavior of the adults during the partner preference test was not affected by the treatments. Testosterone serum levels were increased in then subacutely treated in comparison with controls.
CONCLUSION: Eurycoma longifolia root improved sexual performance but not motivation in sluggish rats after acute or subacute administration. The effect could be mainly ascribed to increased testosterone levels.
PMID: 19703544 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
A New Herbal Combination, Etana, for Enhancing Erectile Function: An Efficacy and Safety Study in Animals.
Qinna N, Taha H, Matalka KZ, Badwan AA.
Department of Pharmacology and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, Petra University, Amman, Jordan.
We present herein a new herbal combination called Etana that is composed of five herbal extracts including Panax quinquelotius (Ginseng), Eurycoma longifolia (Tongkat Ali), Epimedium grandiflorum (Horny goat weed), Centella asiatica (Gotu Kola) and flower pollen extracts. Most of the above-mentioned extracts have a long historical and traditional use for erectile dysfunction (ED). On the basis of the mechanism of action of each of the above, a combination is introduced to overcome several physiological or induced factors of ED. This study was conducted to show an enhancement of erectile function in male rats. The animals were observed for 3 h after each administration for penile erection, genital grooming and copulation mounting, and the penile erection index (PEI) was calculated. The maximum response was observed at the concentration of 7.5 mg kg(-1) of Etana. At a 7.5 mg kg(-1) single dose, the percentage of responding rats was 53+/-7 with a PEI of 337+/-72 compared with 17+/-6 with a PEI of 30+/-10 for control animals. This PEI was significantly (P<0.001) higher than each single component and than the sum of any two herbal components of Etana. When compared with sildenafil citrate, Etana induced more pronounced PEI than 0.36 mg kg(-1), but similar to 0.71 mg kg(-1) of sildenafil. Furthermore, full acute and sub-acute toxicity studies showed no toxic effects of Etana. In conclusion, this study describes a new and safe combination of herbal components that enhance erectile function in male rats. Clinical studies are warranted for evaluating Etana's significance in ED.
PMID: 19494825 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Phytochemicals and The Breakthrough of Traditional Herbs in The Management of Sexual Dysfunctions.
School of medicine 'Hang Tuah' University, Teaching and Naval Hospital,Surabaya, Indonesia.
Traditional herbs have been a revolutionary breakthrough in the management of erectile dysfunction and have become known world-wide as an 'instant' treatment. The modern view of the management of erectile dysfunction subscribes to a single etiology, i.e. the mechanism of erection. A large number of pharmacological agents are orally consumed and vasoactive agents inserted intraurethrally or injected intrapenially to regain good erection. Modern phytochemicals have developed from traditional herbs. Phytochemicals focus their mechanism of healing action to the root cause, i.e. the inability to control the proper function of the whole body system. Hence phytochemicals manage erectile dysfunction in the frame of sexual dysfunction as a whole entity. Protodioscin is a phytochemical agent derived from Tribulus terrestris L plant, which has been clinically proven to improve sexual desire and enhance erection via the conversion of protodioscine to DHEA (De-Hydro-Epi-Androsterone). Preliminary observations suggest that Tribulus terrestris L grown on different soils does not consistently produce the active component Protodioscin. Further photochemical studies of many other herbal plants are needed to explain the inconsistent results found with other herbal plants, such as in diversities of Ginseng, Eurycoma longifolia, Pimpinella pruacen, Muara puama, Ginkgo biloba, Yohimbe etc.
PMID: 10849504 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
