Ginkgo biloba extract treatment increases noncontact erections and central dopamine levels in rats: role of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and the medial preoptic area.
BACKGROUND
Penile erection is necessary for successful copulation in males. The extract of Ginkgo biloba leaves (EGb 761) significantly facilitates copulation in male rats, but the effect of EGb 761 on noncontact erection (NCE) remains unknown.


OBJECTIVE
The present study was conducted to evaluate the influence of EGb 761 on NCE in male rats.


METHODS
Adult Long-Evans male rats were treated with 50 mg/kg of EGb 761 (experimental group) or distilled water (control group) by gavage for 14 days. The NCE test was carried out after 14 days of EGb 761 treatment, and the latency and the numbers of NCE were recorded. Approximately 14 h following the NCE behavioral tests, animals were sacrificed by means of decapitation, and levels of dopamine in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) and medial preoptic area (MPOA) were measured by means of high-pressure liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection.


RESULTS
Chronic treatment with EGb 761 significantly decreased the NCE latency, but increased the number of NCEs and the dopamine levels in the BNST and MPOA in rats compared to the controls.


CONCLUSIONS
Treatment with EGb 761 increased both NCEs and the dopamine contents in the BNST and the MPOA. These results suggest that enhanced NCEs in the rats administered with EGb 761 may be related to dopaminergic activity in the BNST and MPOA.
Yeh
Kuei-Ying
KY
Department of Physical Therapy, HungKuang University, Taichung County, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Liu
Yan-Zhen
YZ
Tai
Mei-Yun
MY
Tsai
Yuan-Feen
YF
D000818:Animals; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D020441:Ginkgo biloba; D008297:Male; D010410:Penile Erection / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011301:Preoptic Area / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D012686:Septal Nuclei / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D000096983:Ginkgo Extract
D004298:Dopamine; D010936:Plant Extracts; C063170:Ginkgo biloba extract; D000096983:Ginkgo Extract
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