Aphrodisiac, androgenic and libido enhancing activities of Terminalia catappa leaf extracts in Delta-9 tetra hydro carnnabinol induced erectile dysfunction in male Wistar rats

Introduction: Erectile dysfunction is the repeated inability to sustain erection firm enough for sexual intercourse while an aphrodisiac is an agent (food/drug) that arouses sexual activity. Various factors affect sexual performance in men, and include; psychological, hormonal abnormalities, aging, penile injury, chronic diseases, lifestyle, medications and radiation. However, the wide distribution of phosphodiesterase type 5 enzymes at various sites of the body led phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors to cause various unnecessary outcomes. Hence, it is vital to look for optional agents that could solve these limitations.

Material and Methods: In this present work, erectile dysfunction was induced by administering 30mg/kgbwt for 3days.Treatment given was as follows: A-Normal Control, B- Std control (THC+Viagra), C-Negative control (THC only), D- THC+ 200mg/Kgbwt ethanol leaf extract of Terminalia catappa (200mg/Kgbwt) E- THC + 400mg/Kgbwt ethanol leaf extract of Terminalia catappa for a succession of 14 days.  Sexual behaviour parameters were monitored in the male rats on day 1,7 and 14 respectively after administration by pairing with a receptive female (1:1) thereafter, rats were sacrificed and serum was collected for some biochemical parameters using standard method. Cage side observation on the animals revealed prospective behaviours by the receptive female rats and precopulatory behaviours by the ethanol extract Terminalia catappa treated male rats.

Result: The extract at 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight significantly (P<0.05) increased the frequencies of mount and intromission. In addition, the ejaculation latency was significantly (P< 0.05) prolonged. The latencies of mount and intromission were reduced significantly (P<0.05) whereas ejaculation frequency increased. The extract also reduced the post- ejaculatory interval of the Wistar rats. Computed percentages of index of libido, mounted, intromitted, ejaculated and copulatory efficiency were significantly (p<0.05) higher in the extract- treated animals in a dosage dependent manner than the control whereas the inter copulatory interval decreased significantly. The extract also significantly (p<0.05) increased the serum testosterone, FSH and LH concentration but significantly(p<0.05) reduced serum oestrogen, prolactin and progesterone of the treated groups when compared with the control. The extract also significantly (p<0.05) increased the sperm motility, total sperm count, and sperm viability but produced a significant (p<0.05) decrease in serum immobility when compared with the THC control.

Conclusion: It can be logical to infer from this present work that extract of Terminalia catappa may elicit aphrodisiac, androgenic and libido enhancing activities in THC induced erectile dysfunction in a dosage dependent manner.