More plants used to boost sexual performance, virility unveiled By Chukwuma Muanya, Assistant Editor (Head Insight Team, Science & Technology)

Are you having problems getting it up? Are you
given to premature ejaculation or/and firing
blanks? Are you finding it difficult putting your
wife in the family way?
A new study published in BioMed Research
International has unveiled plants used for
improvement of sexual performance and virility.
The German and Indian researchers from
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Dr.
Harisingh Gour Central University, Sagar,
Madhya Pradesh, India; Drugs Testing Laboratory
Avam Anusandhan Kendra, GE Road, Raipur,
Chhattisgarh, India; and Institute for Laboratory
Medicine Clinical Chemistry, and
Pathobiochemistry, Charite Universitätsmedizin,
Campus Virchow Klinikum, Augustenburger Platz
Berlin, Germany have validated a number of
herbal drugs for their effect on sexual behavior
and fertility and can therefore serve as basis for
the identification of new chemical leads useful in
sexual and erectile dysfunction.
According to the researchers, traditional
Ayurvedic treatise classified aphrodisiac in the
following five categories, a few plants have been
provided as references for each kind of the
therapeutic class defined: (i) Drugs, which
increase the quantity of semen or stimulate the
production of semen for example, Microstylis
wallichii, Roscoea procera, Polygonatum
verticillatum, Mucuna pruriens (Velvet bean),
and Asparagus racemosus. (ii) Drugs, which
purify and improve the quality of semen for
example, Saussurea lappa, Myrica nagi, Sesamum
indicum (sesame), Vetiveria zizanioides, and
Anthocephalus cadamba. (iii) Drugs, which
improve ejaculatory functions for example,
Strychnos nux vomica, Cannabis sativa
(marijuana), Myristica fragrans (nutmeg), and
Cassia occidentalis (stinking weed). (iv) Drugs
delaying the time of ejaculation or improving
ejaculatory performance for example, Sida
cordifolia, Asparagus racemosus, Cinnamomum
tamala, Anacyclus pyrethrum, Mucuna pruriens,
and Cannabis sativum. (v) Drugs arousing sexual
desire, namely, Withania somnifera, Asparagus
racemosus, Datura stramonium (Jimsonweed),
Anacyclus pyrethrum, Hibiscus abelmoschus
(Okro), and Opium.
Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans)
The dried kernel of broadly ovoid seeds of
Myristica fragrans (Nutmeg) of the family
Myristicaceae has been mentioned in Unani
medicine to be of value in the management of
male sexual disorders. In a study by Tajuddin et
al., it was found that administration of 50 per
cent ethanolic extract of a single dose of Nutmeg
and Clove, and Penegra resulted in the increase
in the mating performance of the mice. It was
found that out of six control animals only two
males mated (inseminated) two females and the
remaining four males mated one female each
during the overnight experimental period.
Whereas, Nutmeg treated male animals mated
three females each except two, which mated five
females each. In the Clove treated male animals
three mated two females each, two mated four
females each and remaining one mated three
females each. In the Penegra treated animals four
mated five females each and two mated three
females each.
Goat head (Tribulus terrestris)
Tribulus terrestris is a flowering plant in the
family Zygophyllaceae. It is commonly called
devil’s thorn, puncture vine, caltrop, yellow vine
and goat head. It is a common herb in Nigeria.
To the French, it is croix de Malte and abrolhos
in Portuguese. In Nigeria, it is dareisa in Arabic-
Shuwa, tsaiji in Fula-Fulfulde, hana taakama in
Hausa (prevents swagger, in allusion to its thorns
piercing the feet-a common expression) or tsaida
(to stop because if a thorn pierces the foot one
must stop to extract it), kaije in Kanuri, tedo by
the Koma people of Adamawa State and da ogun
daguro in Yoruba.
Administration of Tribulus terrestris (TT) to
humans and animals improves libido and
spermatogenesis. Neychev et al. investigated the
influence of T. terrestris extract on androgen
metabolism in young males. The findings of study
predict that T. terrestris steroid saponins possess
neither direct nor indirect androgen-increasing
properties.
It is also found to increase the levels of
testosterone, leutinizing hormone,
dehydroepiandrosterone, dihydrotestosterone,
and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate. The corpus
cavernosal tissues obtained from New Zealand
White rabbits following treatment with TT were
tested in vitro with various pharmacological
agents and electrical field stimulation and was
found to have a proerectile effect. A study by
Gauthaman et al. showed the androgen releasing
property of the TT extract and its relation to
sexual behavior and intracavernous pressure
using castrated rats.
Velvet bean or Cowhage (Mucuna pruriens,
werepe in Yoruba and agbala in Ibo)
Another study published last year in BioMed
Research International identified Mucuna
pruriens as one of the plants used for
improvement of sexual performance and virility.
Mucuna pruriens belongs to the plant family
Leguminosae. The velvet bean plant is notorious
for the spiky hairs on the mature bean pods that
are very irritating to the skin.
It is a popular Indian medicinal plant, which has
long been used in traditional Ayurvedic Indian
medicine.
Researchers have shown that Mucuna pruriens
enhances fertility by producing a dose dependent
increase in follicle stimulating hormone and
luteinizing hormone which in turn increased the
number of eggs released at ovulation possibly
through its rich source of L-Dopa and its
metabolite, dopamine.
The total alkaloids from the seeds of M. pruriens
were found to increase spermatogenesis and
weight of the testes, seminal vesicles, and
prostate in the albino rat.
M. pruriens stimulated sexual function in normal
male rats which was observed by increase in
mounting frequency, intromission frequency, and
ejaculation latency.
M. pruriens seed powder improved significantly
various sexual parameters copulatory behavior
including mount frequency, mount latency,
intromission frequency, and intromission latency
of the male albino rats. The ethanolic extracts of
M. pruriens seed produced a significant and
sustained increase in the sexual activity of
normal male rats at a particular dose (200mg/kg).
There is significantly increased mounting
frequency, intromission frequency, and
ejaculation latency and decreased mounting
latency, intromission latency, postejaculatory
interval, and interintromission interval.
M. pruriens efficiently recovered the
spermatogenic loss induced due to ethinyl
estradiol administration to rats. The recovery is
mediated by reduction in Reactive Oxygen Species
(ROS) level, restoration of MMP, regulation of
apoptosis, and eventual increase in the number
of germ cells and regulation of apoptosis. The
major constituent L-DOPA of M. pruriens largely
accounts for prospermatogenic properties.
Administered of seed extract of M. pruriens to
diabetic rats showed significant improvement in
sexual behavior, libido and potency, sperm
parameters, DSP, and hormonal levels as
compared to diabetic rat without extract
treatment.
In clinical studies, the treatment with M. pruriens
seeds increased sperm concentration and motility
in all the infertile study groups in man. After the
treatment of extract the seminal plasma of all the
infertile groups, the levels of lipids, antioxidant
vitamins, and corrected fructose were recovered
after a decrease in lipid peroxides after treatment
Their was recovered sperm concentration
significantly in oligo-zoospermic patients, but
sperm motility was not restored to normal levels
in astheno-zoospermic men.
M. pruriens significantly improved T, luteinizing
hormone (LH), dopamine, adrenaline, and
noradrenaline levels and reduced levels of
follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and prolactin
(PRL) in infertile men. It also significantly
recovered sperm count and motility. M. pruriens
treatment to infertile men regulates
steroidogenesis and improves semen quality.
Treatment with M. pruriens significantly
inhibited lipid peroxidation, elevated
spermatogenesis, and improved sperm motility of
infertile male and also improved the levels of
total lipids, triglycerides, cholesterol,
phospholipids, and vitamin A, C, and E and
corrected fructose in seminal plasma of infertile
men.
M. pruriens significantly ameliorated
psychological stress and seminal plasma lipid
peroxide levels along with improved sperm count
and motility. Treatment also restored the levels of
Comparison of Seminal Superoxide Dismutase
(SOD), catalase, glutathione (GSH), and ascorbic
acid in seminal plasma of infertile men. It
reactivates the antioxidant defense system of
infertile men and also helps in the management
of stress and improves semen quality.