Paederia foetida – Extracts of the leaves of Paederia foetida boost testosterone levels of rats. Researchers at the Hari Singh Gour University in India write about this in the Journal of Men’s Health. The testosterone-boosting effect is big enough to bring about a significant weight gain and to enhance sexual activity.
The Hindi name for Paederia foetida is prasarini. The climbing plant is found in mountainous areas and is recognised in Ayurvedic medicine as a sexual stimulant and having a positive effect on sperm production and physical strength. The plant is listed in standard reference books such as the Pharmacognosy of Indigenous Drugs compiled by the Central Council for Research in Ayurveda and Siddha. Analyses of Paederia foetida have shown that it contains compounds such as hentriacontane, hentriacontanol, methylemercaptan, ceryl-alcohol and ursolic acid.
The researchers, who have previously published on the testosterone enhancing effect of traditional plant-based aphrodisiacs such as Pedalium murex, Anacyclus pyrethrum en Chlorophytum borivilianum, decided to test scientifically the effects of Paederia foetida too. They dried leaves from the plant, then ground them and made an alcohol-based extract.
They then gave the extracts to male rats. The animals in the EE-50 group were given 50 mg Paederia foetida extract per kg bodyweight per day; the rats in the EE-100 and EE-2 groups were given 100 and 200 mg extract per kg bodyweight respectively. You can read how to calculate the human equivalents of these doses here.
The rats in the control group were given nothing.
The animals in the TG group were given an injection containing 0.5 mg testosterone suspension per kg bodyweight twice a week. The hormone was dissolved in groundnut oil.
During the 28 days that the experiment lasted the rats’ testosterone levels rose, as the figure below shows. The highest dose of Paederia foetida doubled the testosterone level.
The lower table shows that the same dose of Paederia foetida caused an increase in bodyweight of about 25 percent.
The rats’ testes also grew in weight as a result of the extract [the values in the tables above are for mg per 100g bodyweight, and were measured on day 28]. The rats’ prostate gland also increased in weight, but the effect was not statistically significant.
Paederia foetida also increased the animals’ sexual activity. The higher the dose, the stronger the effect.
“Paederia foetida treatment is capable of improving overall sexual behavior”, the researchers write in their findings. “Indicators of drug action include improved anabolic activity, enhanced sexual performance, and improved sexual vigor and body strength, resulting in an overall improvement in sexual function.”
Effect of ethanolic extract of Paederia foetida Linn. leaves on sexual behavior and spermatogenesis in male rats
Devendra K. Soni, MPharm, Vikas Sharma, MPharm, Nagendra Singh Chauhan, PhD, V.K. Dixit, PhDemail address
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Dr. H.S. Gour University, Sagar M.P.470003 India
Abstract
Background
Paederia foetida Linn. (P. foetida) is considered to be an aphrodisiac, but its ability to stimulate sexual behavior has not been reported. In the present study, the effects of an ethanolic extract of P. foetida on sexual behavior and testosterone level in male rats was investigated.
Methods
Ethanolic extract of the leaves (50, 100 and 200mg/kg body weight) was studied for their effect on body and secondary sexual organ weight, sexual behavior, spermatogenesis and serum testosterone level in male albino rats.
Results
Oral administration of the extract in albino rats showed pronounced anabolic and spermatogenic effects in animals in the treated groups. The extract significantly increased both mount and intromission frequency. In addition, it also significantly reduced both mount and intromission latency. These effects were associated with an increase in orientation activity.
Conclusion
The extract had a dose-dependent influence on serum testosterone level. The results support the use of P. foetida as an aphrodisiac in traditional medicine.
Source: http://www.jmhjournal.org/article/S1875-6867%2812%2900030-9/abstract
