Title:Preclinical Appraisal of the Aphrodisiac Effects of Emblica officinalis
Seed Extract on Stress-induced Sexual Behavior in Albino Rats
Volume: 19
Issue: 5
Author(s): Sunil Kumar Kadiri, Deepak S. Khobragade*Samaresh Pal Roy
Affiliation:
- Department of Pharmacy, Datta Meghe College of Pharmacy, Datta Meghe Institute
of Medical Sciences (DU), Salod (H), Wardha, 442001, Maharashtra, India
Keywords:
Emblica officinalis, aphrodisiac, mounting, intromission, sniffing, licking, sperm, testosterone, rats.
Abstract:
Background: The king of herbs, Emblica officinalis, is one of the most important herbs in
Ayurveda. It contains significant amounts of Vitamin C and has been reported to have antioxidant, anticancer,
antiretroviral, antidepressant, antiulcerogenic, wound healing, and many other medicinal
properties.
Objective: The current study is designed to investigate the aphrodisiac effects of E. officinalis seed extract
on albino Wistar rats as well as its effects on stress-related sexual behaviour.
Materials and Methods: The aphrodisiac effect of E. officinalis was evaluated by mating the pretreated
male rats with female rats. For 30 days, test group rats (n=6) were given methanolic extracts (95%)
from E. officinalis seeds (500 and 1000 mg/kg). Control rats received saline. Standard group rats received
testosterone (0.5 mg/ kg, i.m). The sexual behavior study tracked Mount Latency (ML), Intromission
Latency (IL), Mounting Frequency (MF), Intromission Frequency (IF), sniffing, and licking
on days 0 through 30. After 30 days, rats were sacrificed, and the anabolic effect was assessed using
body weight, reproductive organ weight, sperm concentration, and histopathology of the testes. The
stress was induced by immobilization stress in the stress-affected alteration in the sexual behavior
model, and the above procedure was repeated for evaluation.
Results: The 95% methanolic extract (1000 mg/kg) of E. officinalis significantly reduced ML and IL
while significantly increasing MF, IF, sniffing, licking, body weight, reproductive organ weight, and
sperm concentration. Methanolic extract of E. officinalis increased sexual activities in the stress-free
group and restored the stress-affected group's altered sexual behaviour.
Conclusion: The current study's findings indicate that 95% methanolic extract of E. officinalis has
dose-dependent aphrodisiac activity and restores sexual behavior in a stress-induced group.
