Evaluation of Aphrodisiac Potentials of Corchorus Olitorius Leaves and Stem Ethanolic Extracts in Male Wistar Rats

Abstract

Aside from the acclaimed rich nutritional constituents of Corchorus Olitorius plant (commonly called Ewedu in Yoruba language), there are anecdotal claims of its possible aphrodisiac potentials. Thus, the present study sets out to evaluate the aphrodisiac potentials of ethanolic extracts of Corchorus olitorius (Ewedu) leaves and stems in male Wistar rats. Twenty four (24) adult male and ten (10) adult female (for the sake of mating activities only with no treatments) Wistar rats weighing between 160g and 180g were obtained for the study and housed in the animal house facility of department of human physiology, Rivers State University. The study models were randomly distributed into six different groups of 4 male rats each: Group 1 served as normal control and received 1ml normal saline daily, Group 2 served as standard control and received 5mg/kg body weight (b.w) of sildenafil citrate (at least an hour prior to the start of the experiment), Groups 3 (a)  3 (b) received 500mg/kg bw of the Corchorus Olitorius leaf and stem extracts respectively, Groups 4 (a) and 4 (b) received 1000mg/kg bw of Corchorus Olitorius leaf and stem extracts respectively. At the end of the respective treatments, the sexual behavior test was carried out on the study models. And numerical data derived from the study were subjected to statistical analyses using the statistical package for social sciences software (SPSS) version 25.0. The results revealed that the leaf and stem portions of the Ewedu plant are capable of significantly (p<0.05) raising mount frequency (MF), intromission frequency (IF), ejaculation frequency (EF) and ejaculation latency (EL) values in the treated study models and the manner was similar to that of a standard drug (Sildenafil citrate, a known phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitor that treats erectile dysfunction).  The study also recorded significant (p<0.05) decreases in the post-ejaculatory interval (PEI) durations of the study models treated with low and high doses of the both extracts. In conclusion, the leaf and stem portions of the Ewedu plant can be said to enhance sexual desire and copulation performance and outcomes thus indicating their aphrodisiac attributes of potentially improving libido, potency and sexual pleasure.