Lipid peroxidation as index of activity in aphrodisiac herbs

• Published in: Planta Medica
• Main Authors: Muanya, CA, Odukoya, OA
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: German
• Published: 28.08.2007
• ISSN: 0032-0943; 1439-0221
• DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-987011

Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) are important mediators of sperm function. Production of malondialdehyde (MDA), an end product of LPO, has been reported in spermatozoa [1]. [ Anthocleista djalonensis A. Chev (Loganiaceae), Carpolobia lutea G. Don (Polygalaceae), Cassia sieberiana DC (Leguminosae), Chasmanthera dependens Hochst (Menispermaceae), Cissus populnea Guill & Perr (Vitaceae), Cnestis ferruginea DC (Connaraceae), Dioscorea cayenensis Lam. (Dioscoreaceae), Lecaniodiscus cupanioides Planch (Sapindaceae) and Microdermis keayana J. Leonard (Pandaceae)] are used locally in Nigeria to boost libido, induce erection, increase sperm count and consequently male fertility. Inhibition of lipid peroxidation by these plant extracts as index of male fertility was assessed. MDA was assayed by thiobarbituric acid (TBA) reaction on lipid peroxidation in raw/cooked fish homogenates and measured as the amount of Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Sample (TBARS) in nmol mg -1 protein. Extracts significantly inhibited the extent of lipid peroxidation. A. djalonensis was most active while D. Cayenensis was least active in both raw and cooked fish homogenates. TBARS±(SEM) values at 10% concentration of extracts are: A. djalonensis (5.18±0.00) > C. lutea (4.02±0.04) > C. ferruginea (2.97±0.19) > L. cupanioides (2.85±0.52) > M. keayana (2.43±0.58) > C. dependens (2.35±0.02) > C. populnea (2.27±0.04) > C. sieberiana (2.10±0.68) > D. cayenensis (1.54±0.01) for raw fish homogenates and A. djalonensis (7.52±0.00) > C. populnea (6.52±0.01) > C. dependens (3.96±0.00) > C. lutea (3.76±0.01) > C. ferruginea (2.86±0.01) > M. keayana (2.17±0.01) > C. sieberiana (2.07±0.00) > L. cupanioides (1.81±0.01) > D. cayenensis (1.82±0.00) for cooked fish homogenates. The correlation between TBARS activity and concentration was R 2 =0.9533 for raw and R 2 =0.9739 for cooked fish homogenates. Thus these plants may be considered as cheap and readily available sources of treating sexual dysfunction in men. References: [1] Darley-Usmar, V. et al. (1995) FEBS Letters 369: 131–135.