The Journal of Phytopharmacology, 2018;7(6):471-476 DOI:10.31254/phyto.2018.7603

Research Article

Effect of methanolic extract of Alchornea cordifolia leaves on the sexual behavior of senescent and sexually inexperienced rats

Marie Ide Ngaha Njila¹ , Goh Yong Meng² , Mahdi Ebrahimi² , Elmutaz Atta Awad³ , Falah Hasan Baiee⁴ , Hubert Kenmogne¹ , Brice Landry Koloko¹ , Magloire Hambe¹ , Samuel Honoré Mandenguè¹ , Dieudonné Massoma Lembè¹

Marie Ide Ngaha Njila,Goh Yong Meng,Mahdi Ebrahimi,Elmutaz Atta Awad,Falah Hasan Baiee,Hubert Kenmogne,Brice Landry Koloko,Magloire Hambe,Samuel Honoré Mandenguè,Dieudonné Massoma Lembè

1. Department of Animal Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Douala, Cameroon
2. Department of Veterinary Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
3. Department of Poultry Production, University of Khartoum,13314 Khartoum North, Sudan
4. Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medecin, University of Kufa, Iraq

*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received: 28th October, 2018 / Accepted: 3rd December, 2018

Abstract

Alchornea cordifolia, a shrub found in tropical Africa, is used to treat several physiological disorders, including male infertility and impotency. The main objective of this study was to determine the effect of the methanolic extract of Alchornea cordifolia leaves on the sexual behavior of senescent and sexually inexperienced rats. In order to evaluate aphrodisiac properties and reproductive performance, rats were divided into groups: group I receiving distilled water, group II receiving testosterone, group III receiving sildenafil citrate, group IV and V receiving the methanolic extract of Alchornea cordifolia leaves at 200 mg / kg and 400 mg / kg, respectively. The treatment was done by gavage for groups I, III, IV and V and subcutaneous injection of testosterone every three days for group II for 14 days. On days 1, 7 and 14, the rats were mated to the receptive females. At the end of this last treatment, the rats were mated with gonad-intact females. 14 days after of treatment, the extract leads to an increase in libido and sexual performance parameters (mounts, intromissions and ejaculations frequency) and an increase in sexual desire (decrease of mount and intromission latency). The extract also prolonged the duration of coitus by increasing the ejaculation latency and the average interval of copulation. An increase in the percentage of female’s rats impregnated as well as the numbers of implantations were recorded in females’ rats mated with the males treated with our extract. These results reveal the potential of the methanolic extract of Alchornea cordifolia leaves to improve male reproductive performance justifying its use in traditional medicine.