Sexual behavior in male rats after nitric oxide synthesis inhibition.
The influence of the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) on the copulatory behavior of sexually experienced male Wistar rats was investigated. L-NAME was injected i.p. 10 min before the onset of a session using a dose of 30 mg/kg (L-NAME 30 group), or 60 mg/kg (L-NAME 60 group). The copulatory sessions were terminated after the third ejaculation in the control group or after 1500 s in the L-NAME 30 and L-NAME 60 groups. L-NAME administration reduced the number of rats that achieved ejaculation by 43% and 86% in the L-NAME 30 and 60 groups, respectively. In both experimental groups only a few intromissions and an increased number of mountings were observed. An increase in the number of ultrasonic vocalizations in the 50 kHz band, a dose-dependent effect, was observed. The level of sexual motivation evaluated by mount latency was not influenced by inhibition of NO synthesis.
Bialy
M
M
Department of Human Physiology, Medical School, Warsaw, Poland.
Beck
J
J
Abramczyk
P
P
Trzebski
A
A
Przybylski
J
J
D000818:Animals; D003307:Copulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008297:Male; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
D009569:Nitric Oxide; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester