OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of Chinese medicine Wubi Shanyao pills on sexual function of kidney-yang-deficiency mice induced by hydrocortisone. METHODS: Male Kunming mice were injected with hydrocortisone for 10 days to prepare the kidney-yang-deficiency model, and administrated with Wubi Shanyao pills (0.91, 1.82, 2.73 g/kg) for 9 weeks. The general behaviors of mice (autonomous activity, grasping power) were observed; sexual behaviors (capture, straddle, ejaculation frequency and incubation period) of mice were detected by mating experiment. The serum levels of cortisol, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol (E RESULTS: Wubi Shanyao pills increased the number of independent activities, grasping power, capture frequency of model mice and shortened the capture latency (all CONCLUSIONS Wubi Shanyao pills can improve the sexual function of mice with kidney-yang-deficiency induced by hydrocortisone, which may be related to regulating the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis), promoting the proliferation of testicular cells, and inhibiting cell apoptosis.
Animals ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone/blood* ; Hydrocortisone ; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System ; Kidney/drug effects* ; Kidney Diseases/drug therapy* ; Male ; Mice ; Pituitary-Adrenal System/drug effects* ; Random Allocation ; Sexual Behavior, Animal/drug effects* ; Yang Deficiency/drug therapy*

OBJECTIVESolanum xanthocarpum Schrad. & Wendl. (Solanaceae) is present in many Ayurveda compound formulations including Chavanaprasha and Dasamoolarishta. The whole plant is used in conditions such as inflammation, constipation and promoting conception in females. In the present study, we carried out different tests to evaluate the effect of aqueous extract of Solanum xanthocarpum (SXE) in postmenopausal syndrome.

METHODSThe study was carried out in bilaterally ovariectomized one-month-old Wistar rats (40-50 g). Bilaterally ovariectomized (OVX) Wistar rats were divided into four groups (n=6) receiving different treatments, consisting of a vehicle (distilled water), aqueous extract of Solanum xanthocarpum at two different doses (200 and 400 mg/kg) administered orally daily for 90 d and standard drug β estradiol at a dose of 1 mg/kg administered subcutaneously biweekly for 90 d. Estrogenic activity was assessed by vaginal cornification, sexual behavior, serum estradiol and uterine weight to body weight ratio. Antiosteoporotic activity was assessed on the basis of biomechanical and biochemical parameters followed by histopathological studies, and antidepressant activity was assessed by forced swim test.

RESULTSSXE showed presence of steroids. At the dose of 200 mg/kg, it significantly improved all the parameters of sexual behavior (P<0.01), caused vaginal cornification, and increased serum estradiol and uterine weight (P<0.01). It also significantly improved all the parameters of bone strength as well as depression (P<0.01). Histopathology of bones confirmed the above findings.

CONCLUSIONThe study indicated that SXE may provide an effective treatment in the prevention of postmenopausal symptoms.

Animals ; Antidepressive Agents ; pharmacology ; Estradiol ; blood ; Estrogens ; pharmacology ; Female ; Femur ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Mice ; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal ; prevention & control ; Ovariectomy ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Postmenopause ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Sexual Behavior, Animal ; drug effects ; Solanum

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of Fructus Corni polysaccharides (FCP) on sexual function of hemicastrated rats.

METHOD70 male SD rats are randomly divided into 7 groups with their right testis extirpated except for normal control group. Normal control group and negative control group are given saline (ig) while positive control group are injected hypodermically testosterone propionate at dose of 2 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1). FCP control groups are given FCP separately at dose of 10, 50, 100, 150 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) (ig). Mating test and erective test are observed. The levels of serum sex hormone T, LSH, FSH, E2 are detected with the Radioimmunoassay (RIA).

RESULTIncubation period of penis erection and mounting are shortened in FCP control groups and positive control group, and the percentage of mounting rats is increased. The level of serum sex hormone T is increased, but estradiol level is reduced. The organ coefficient of foreskin gland and seminal vesicle-prostate gland as well as sperm count and vigor are increased significantly (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONFCP can increase the sexual function of hemicastrated rats. The mechanism is probably through adjustment of the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis.

Animals ; Cornus ; chemistry ; Female ; Male ; Penile Erection ; drug effects ; Polysaccharides ; pharmacology ; toxicity ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sexual Behavior, Animal ; drug effects ; Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological ; chemically induced ; Testis ; drug effects ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo inquire into the cerebral gene change of effect of Jingui Shenqiwan and Youguiwan for animal model of kidney-yang asthenia caused by excessive physical and sexual activities, which may study the effect mechanism of the medicine with syndrome disproved therapeutic efficacy of drugs used.

METHODMale mice of Kunming species, weight 35-40 g, and female weight 28-35 g were randomly divided into four groups: control group, model group and treatment groups of Jigui Shenqiwan and Youguiwan in which there were ten male mice, fifteen ones, ten ones and ten ones, respectively. All of them were fed normally, and poured into their stomach with 0.5 mL of distill water for each mouse in the control group and model group, and with 0.5 mL suspension of the drugs (including 1.1 g x kg(-1) drug) for each one in the treatment groups every day. The mice in the model group and treatment groups were kept by means of each male mouse with six female mice in the same cage, and all male mice swam until they gradully submerged and were scooped up from water once everyday for lasting four weeks to induce the kidney-yang asthenia with excessive physical and sexual activities. Animals' manifestation such as fearing cold, activity and responses, mouse' fur and so on were observed. The brain gene were detected with the mouse brain gene chip of 36K Mouse genome array made by Capital Bio Corp. Beijing, China, and the differential expression gene were screened according to the ratio equal to or above 2 and equal to or below 0.5 with the related fluorescent intensity comparing the two groups, which could be further verified in the light of partly differential expression gene with qRT-PCR.

RESULTThe mouse model of kidney-yang asthenia in the model group was successfully induced by way of excessive physical and sexual activities. There were twenty-three genes among up-regulated genes in the model group versus control group but down-regulated genes in the treatment groups versus model group, chiefly including the genes association with inflammation/immunization, neurotransmissions/ signal transduction and so on. There were six genes among the down-regulated genes in the model group versus control group but upregulated in the treatment groups versus model group, mainly involving the related genes of cellular cycle and structure, neurotransmissions/signal transduction, transcription and et al.

CONCLUSIONJigui Shenqiwan and Youguiwan may make it markedly up-regulated to notably down-regulated genes of hormone and melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) for model of mouse of kidney-yang asthenia, and promote cellular proliferation, which can inquire into effect mechanism of the drug in genetic level at the same time.

Animals ; Asthenia ; drug therapy ; genetics ; Brain ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Kidney ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Motor Activity ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sexual Behavior, Animal ; Syndrome

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of Chlorophytum borivilianum (CB) on sexual dysfunction, loss of body weight, and lack of libido in hyperglycemic rats induced with streptozotocin or alloxan.

METHODSWistar strain male albino rats were divided into five groups of six animals each: the control group (2% polyvinylpyrollidone solution), the streptozotocin control group (50 mg/kg), the alloxan control group (100 mg/kg), the streptozotocin + CB treated group (200 mg/kg), and the alloxan + CB treated group (200 mg/kg). Only after confirming the induction of diabetes, the animals of test groups were treated with CB. The sexual behavior of male rats of in presence of female rat in a special cage was recorded. The effects of induced diabetes in control groups and on simultaneous extract treatment in CB treated groups were tested for sexual parameters. The parameters evaluated included mount, ejaculation, and intromission latencies/frequencies, hesitation time, and penile erection index. Parallel to this, using a separate set of similarly treated animals, the influence of diabetes and CB treatment on anabolism and weight of secondary sexual organs were determined on day 0 and day 28 of the treatment.

RESULTSCB extract treatment ameliorated the diabetes-induced dysfunction at 200 mg/kg dose. There was very low weight loss (P<0.05) in CB-treated animals as compared to the diabetic control. There was a very high latency time (P<0.05) in the diabetic animals, whereas the latency time was very low in CB-treated animals. Mount, intromission, and ejaculation frequencies were very high (P<0.01) in CB-treated animals, while streptozotocin and alloxan groups animals had a very significantly lower sexual behavior (P<0.05) compared to the normo-glycemic control group animals.

CONCLUSIONCB can significantly ameliorate diabetes-induced sexual dysfunction. Polysaccharide and saponin-rich aqueous extract appears to have the most suitable effects on diabetes and its associated effects on sexual functionality.

Alloxan ; Animals ; Asparagaceae ; Blood Glucose ; analysis ; Body Weight ; drug effects ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; complications ; drug therapy ; Female ; Male ; Nitric Oxide ; physiology ; Plant Extracts ; therapeutic use ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Sexual Behavior, Animal ; drug effects ; Streptozocin

AIMTo investigate the influence of an extract obtained from five Chinese medicinal plants on sexual behavior of adult male rats.

METHODSThe extract was administered at doses of 30, 60 and 120 mg/kg by oral gavage, acutely (one time, 45 min before mating test) or subchronically (daily for 10 days) in sexually potent and sexually sluggish/impotent rats. Sexual behavior, serum levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone (T) were evaluated in treated rats and compared with controls receiving vehicle. The effect of the extract on central dopaminergic neurotransmission was assessed in the nucleus accumbens using a microdialysis technique.

RESULTSIn sexually potent rats, both acute and subchronic treatment with the extract dosed at 30 and 60 mg/kg reduced mount latency and intromission latency. In sluggish/impotent rats, the acutely administered extract at the dose of 60 mg/kg shortened ejaculation latency, whereas subchronically administered at the doses of 30 and 60 mg/kg, reduced mount, intromission and ejaculation latencies, increasing also the percentage of mounting and ejaculating rats. The extract dosed at 60 mg/kg significantly increased LH and T following acute and subchronic administration and increased 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid levels in the nucleus accumbens, 30 min after the acute administration.

CONCLUSIONThe improvement in both appetitive and consummatory components of sexual behavior observed in male rats treated with the extract could be ascribed to increased serum T level in parallel with the activation of the central dopaminergic system.

Animals ; Brain Chemistry ; drug effects ; Central Nervous System ; drug effects ; Copulation ; drug effects ; Dopamine ; physiology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Ejaculation ; drug effects ; Erectile Dysfunction ; drug therapy ; psychology ; Female ; Gonadal Steroid Hormones ; blood ; Luteinizing Hormone ; blood ; Male ; Microdialysis ; Motivation ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sexual Behavior, Animal ; drug effects ; Stimulation, Chemical ; Synaptic Transmission ; drug effects ; Testosterone ; blood

Acrylamide is a common chemical material, extensively used in industry and scientific experiments. Recently, it has been reported that starchy food cooked at high temperature can produce acrylamide. Acrylamide monomer has several toxic effects and the extensive concern for its toxicity has arisen with the finding of acrylamide formation in some processed foods. Researches have shown that acrylamide monomer can cause reproductive toxicity, including toxic effects on male reproductive behavior, male reproductive endocrine function and spermatogenesis. The mechanisms may include the effects of acrylamide on Leydig cells, the formation of motor protein/ chromosomal/DNA alkylation and damage by oxidative stress.
Acrylamide ; toxicity ; Animals ; Genitalia, Male ; drug effects ; physiology ; Male ; Sexual Behavior, Animal ; drug effects ; physiology ; Spermatogenesis ; drug effects

AIMTo study the effects of Boesenbergia rotunda (Krachai) on sexual behaviour in male albino rats.

METHODSThirty-two male Wistar rats were equally divided into four groups: experimental groups were gavaged with the ethanolic extract of the rhizome of B. rotunda at doses of 60, 120 and 240 mg/kg and a control group received distilled water, for 60 days. Sexual behaviour, reproductive organs, diameter of seminiferous tubule, epididymal sperm density, and androgenic hormones were evaluated.

RESULTSWithin 30-min observation, there was no significant difference of courtship behaviour, mount frequency (MF), intromission frequency (IF), mount latency (ML), intromission latency (IL), copulatory efficiency or intercopulatory interval in male rats. In three 10-min intervals over a 30-min period, courtship behaviour and MF during the first 10-min were significantly higher than those in the second and third 10-min observation in all groups, whereas IF had no significant difference. All doses of B. rotunda extract significantly increased the relative testicular weight and the diameter of the seminiferous tubules. The dose of 60 mg/kg also significantly increased the relative weight of the seminal vesicle. Nevertheless, the sperm density, serum testosterone and androstenedione levels were not affected by the B. rotunda extract.

CONCLUSIONB. rotunda does not affect sexual behaviour nor serum androgenic levels.

Androstenedione ; blood ; Animals ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Female ; Male ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Seminiferous Tubules ; drug effects ; pathology ; Sexual Behavior, Animal ; drug effects ; Sperm Count ; Testis ; drug effects ; pathology ; Testosterone ; blood ; Zingiberaceae

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effects of Shengli capsules on the sexual ability of normal and castrated male rats.

METHODSShengli capsules were given by intragastric administration to 100 experimental male rats at different doses of 0.35, 0.70 and 1.40 g / kg. Data were collected and analyzed, including capture latency period, times of capture, sexual endurance and times of ejaculation, to assess the effects of Shengli capsules on the sexual ability of the rats. The Castrated Animal Impotence Model was employed to determine the erectile latency period and the function parameters of the preputial gland, seminal vesicle and prostate, so as to test the effects of Shengli on the development of the rats'sexual organs.

RESULTSShengli was proved to be effective in shortening copulation latency in the dose groups of 0.35, 0.70 and 1.40 g / kg (P < 0.01), increasing significantly the frequency of capture in the high- and low-dose groups of 0.35 and 1.40 g / kg (P < 0.05), reducing the latency period to erection in the low-dose group of 0.35 g / kg, and blocking the shrink of the seminal vesicle and prostate in the medium-dose group of 0.70 g / kg.

CONCLUSIONShengli is significantly effective in enhancing the sexual ability of male rats: it can boost libido, increase erection frequency and improve sexual performance. However, further studies have yet to be done on its action mechanisms.

Animals ; Capsules ; Copulation ; drug effects ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Female ; Male ; Orchiectomy ; Ovariectomy ; Penile Erection ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sexual Behavior, Animal ; drug effects

Animal models in sexual dysfunction were reviewed to further improve the modeling methods and to promote the effectiveness of drug evaluation translation from animal models to humans. A MEDLINE search was performed to retrieve articles relating to animal models in sexual dysfunction. Researches on a variety of animal models in sexual dysfunction, with their own merits, has to a certain extent contributed to the understanding of sexual function. However, no models could give a fully accurate assessment of sexual function. The existing sexual function studies on animal models of interpretive function, the development mechanisms, the effects of drugs on sexual function and the clinical translation still have some deficiencies, but with their basic principles and ideas for the improvement of the models and the preservation of the valuable data of drugs and clinical trials.
Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drug Design ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Rats ; Sexual Behavior, Animal ; drug effects ; physiology ; Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological ; drug therapy ; physiopathology