title: Increased sexual motivation in female rats treated with Humulus lupulus L. extract.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the influence of Humulus lupulus extract on sexual behavior in female rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ovariectomized rats hormonally primed with estradiol benzoate (1.5 μg/rat) and progesterone (500 μg/rat) were acutely treated by oral gavage with Humulus lupulus extract dosed at 5, 10 and 25mg/kg and then tested for partner preference and sexual receptivity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The administration of Humulus lupulus extract at the highest dose significantly increased the preference for the stimulus male during the partner preference test and the number of proceptive behaviors during the receptivity test, without affecting the lordosis response.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Humulus lupulus extract increased sexual motivation in hormone-primed female rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Pharmacology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 287, 41100 Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Vittoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Di Viesti
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Carnevale
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zavatti
authors.forename: Augusta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Benelli
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zanoli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D027582:Humulus / Q000737:chemistry; D009042:Motivation / Q000187:drug effects*; D010052:Ovariectomy; D048789:Phytoestrogens / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D048789:Phytoestrogens; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol